Destination: Summer Camp
by Payton.Pride
Summary: Edward, Roy, and Riza got their newest assignment. Going undercover at a summer camp to root out criminals. With a whole summer of being unwanted by his fellow 'campers', being who he is, how long will Ed have to deal with bullies, haters, and enemies until he finally snaps? And who will be there when he finally does? Parental Roy/Ed Riza/Ed Rated T (language)
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

**A New Mission**

Edward kicked his feet impatiently while watching Roy shuffle through papers. The raven haired man smirked as he brought out a bundle, sliding it over his desk and into the arms of a certain Fullmetal Alchemist. Ed held it up to his face to examine it, shuffling through with precision and speed.

His shuffling came to a halt. "This better be some sort of joke." Ed growled out, peeking over the top of the manila folder with burning eyes.

Roy raised an eyebrow but otherwise stayed silent.

Ed repeated himself with another low growl. "I _said_ this better be some sort of joke." He snapped the folder closed with one hand, tossing it back to the Colonel like a Frisbee. Roy stayed silent once again, and began to tap his pen on the surface of the desk with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Who said it was a joke?" Roy countered harshly, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on top of the digits.

Ed kept on a stern glare. "I hate you _so_ much."

"Hey now." Roy simpered coyly. "That's no way to talk to your _commanding_ officer." He scooted back in his chair, and stood up with his hands behind his back. "It's required Fullmetal. I'm not giving you an option here. You're going to go, and that's final." He skirted his desk and leaned forward to look at his subordinate. "Understand?"

Ed's scowl deepened considerably. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from the older man. "You're a sick bastard, you know that?"

Roy's sadistic laugh was cut off when Riza Hawkeye walked into the room. "Sir, if I may ask, why do you enjoy torturing Edward here so much?"

"Because I can." Came the simple answer. He turned back to the blond and smirked again. "Of course I'll be coming with you..." Roy trailed off with a suggestive smile.

"Like hell you will!" Ed ranted, throwing his hands into the air. "I'm not letting _you_ come along to ruin things even more! It's bad enough you're making me go to some _fucking _summer camp for _children_, but you want to come along? Hell no!"

Roy watched Hawkeye from the corner of his vision. She nodded an affirmative "Just go get packed Edward." Hawkeye insisted, resting a calming hand on the boy's shoulder. He shrugged it off, scowl still set in place. She sighed. "Look Ed, we have to do this. The Fuhrer himself wanted to give you a little vacation, considering all of the stress you've been put under lately..." She drawled, watching the young state alchemist stand.

"No. I'm not leaving Al or abandoning the search just so I can go to some _dingy, smelly, boring_ summer camp with grubby kids!"

The Colonel's eye twitched. "You will go. With or without Alphonse. Because _our_ jobs are on the line you insufferable little-" Hawkeye cleared her throat, breaking up the little cat fight.

"Sir, we don't need to go insulting children."  
Ed grumbled from his seat. "Not a kid."

Roy turned on his heels and picked up the folder again. "Of course you aren't Fullmetal. You're a teen, just like everyone else in the camp you _will_ be going to." He put stress on the word, making it clear he meant business. Edward slumped against the back of his chair, the fight still going strong in him.

"I'm not going." Ed pressed firmly, absolutely sure he could wriggle out of the 'mission'.

Or not.

Roy crossed his arms in a mimic to Ed. "You will be. I'll just send Alphonse to a lab then, if you don't agree."

In an instant, fear crawled through Ed's whole body. "You wouldn't _dare_!"

"Watch me Fullmetal."

Hawkeye looked at the exchange with a bit of horror in her eyes. She knew the Colonel was joking, but it didn't seem Ed knew at all, his face was still struck with fear, deeply rooted and like a child hanging onto a slight bit of hope, it was like that hope was being cut with garden shears.

"Touch him and I will gut you, Bastard!"

Mustang narrowed his eyes viciously. "Behave." Hawkeye kept her monotone expression, but was fairly worried someone would lose a head if the bickering continued.

She spoke up. "Sir? Would you mind if I tagged along?"

Mustang seemed to see where her aim was, to keep anyone from dying. So he nodded. "Of course Lieutenant. We'll be leaving in a few hours."

Ed knocked his chair backwards. "You're sick, twisted, and-" Roy just waved him off, turned his back to the fuming boy.

Hawkeye led him out of the door, sending him off to say goodbye to his brother. And to pack. On the way back to his apartment, he let his mind wander. The folder had a bunch of files in it, most of relation to crimes in that area. The summer camp, apparently called Calm Creek, had a bunch of teens there that were delinquents.

Sure, they had the fair amount of normal kids, but most of them, over fifty percent, had a criminal record. He knew Roy was up to something, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

So stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, he walked into the frigid air, very unfitting for the beginning of the summer season, and walked to the small building in the distance.

A pang hit Ed in the heart. He was basically putting off the search for the stone so he could frolic with a bunch of hormone-hopped teens in the middle of a forest. But he didn't want to test the Colonel with trivia, whether he was serious or not about sending Al off to some lab. It made Ed sick to his stomach. So with that note, he twisted the door knob, and walked into the room he and Al both shared.

Al jumped, his suit of armor clanking with the sudden movement. He relaxed. "Oh it's just you Brother."

"Yeah." Ed looked down. He couldn't look at his younger brother, guilt written all over his features.

Al inched closer. "Brother? What's wrong?" He watched as Ed looked up at him with hurt gold eyes, and cautiously crept up to the alchemist. "Brother?"

Ed looked up. "Sorry Al."

"Why're you sorry?" He crept closer, and put an armored hand on his brothers shoulder.

He watched as they steeled themselves, and Ed's back shot straight up, determination shining bright once again. "I'm sorry Al, but I'm going to be away for a little while."  
"Where are you going?"

Ed forced a brave smile for his brother. "I'm going to be gone all summer for a stupid mission, okay Al?"

"But Brother-"

"No Al." He stated sternly. "I have to go. Just stay safe okay?"

Al nodded, even though he was upset. "You too Brother. I want letters and calls, understand?" If the younger had a body, he would have cried. He couldn't remember a time where they had been separated, let alone for a few months. Ed wanted to kick Roy's teeth out, he really did.

Ed shied from his brother's touch and went to pack his things. "I promise Al. I'll call every night. And I'll tell you all about it."

The younger wanted to smile. He had a great sibling, who was always there when he needed him. He was slightly worried about him though. "Where are you going?"  
"Well." Ed began, sighing as his back hit the sheets of the bed, "I'm going to a summer camp." Al's worries grew. Ed never had good social skills, so he found himself wondering how hard it would be for the youth to fit in.

_**X**_

Roy watched as Edward stalked back into his office with a small bag. "That all you have to bring?"

Ed snorted. "If you haven't noticed, I'm a traveler. I don't own many changes of clothing Bastard." He chucked the bag at the Colonel, who was wearing a casual set of clothing. A white tee and black jeans, something Ed never thought he'd see the older man in.

"What's with the get-up?"

"Oh this?" Roy gestured to his clothes. "You'll see when we get to Calm Creek, Fullmetal."

"So." Ed followed him from the room, down the hall they went. "I'm guessing we'll be undercover? I'm guessing that there's also a bit more to this than you're letting on."

Roy scoffed. "You're too smart for your own good. Yes, we'll be undercover. No alchemy."

"But Roy!"  
"No but's. You read about the delinquents they supposedly have there, correct?"

Ed nodded an affirmative, letting the Colonel go on. "Well we need to go there to make sure nothing goes amiss this summer. We have word they've gotten bomb threats and blackmail."

"So we're going to keep it under wraps, right?"

"Correct."  
"So what are you and the Lieutenant going to do?"

Hawkeye joined them in their walk, wearing her hair down, it cascaded to her mid-back. "We're going to be working there."

Ed was surprised to say the least. "Do we have a cover story?"

Roy nodded. "We'll tell you on the way there." He nodded over to Hawkeye, "Take Fullmetal to the car out front and I'll get the paperwork." Ed could almost see the smirk forming on the blonde's face at the thought of Roy getting his own paperwork without being asked.

"Yes sir." She saluted and put a guiding hand on Ed's shoulder, leading him out the door, and to the car. Just as he was about to get in, he looked back at Central Command, seeing his brother running up to him. "Wait Brother!" Ed stood still patiently and waited until Al was in front of him.

He grabbed him into a bone snapping hug. "Call me later, okay?"

Ed chuckled faintly. "'Course Al, why wouldn't I?" He got in the car, Roy following in suit, slamming the door behind him as he got behind the wheel.

Hawkeye and Roy were up front, Ed idly waiting for the car to start up.

He ducked his head out the window as the engine roared to life. "BYE AL!"

Al waved back. "BYE! HAVE FUN!" Ed ducked his head back into the black car.

"So what's our story Colonel Bastard?"

Roy glared. "A pet name? How cute Fullmetal. I didn't think you loved me that much." Hawkeye held in a snicker, while Ed looked down right furious.

"Shut it. Hawkeye?"

Said Lieutenant shook her head. "Call me Riza from now on, we can't have people suspecting we're really from the military." He nodded in understanding, while Roy started to spin the lies they'd all tell.

"Fullmetal, you're going to be blended in with the campers, Riza and I will be apart of the staff, and we're going to be playing roles too."

"Like what?"

Riza looked nervous. "Well Edward, I'm playing the role of your mother-" Ed ground his teeth together. "-and Roy here will be your father." Ed felt that little cord of tolerance snap within him.

"No fucking way bastard."

"Hey." Roy reminded him. "Do you want Al to be sent off?" Ed shook his head in numb horror. "Then work with us, here."

He slumped back into the leather seats. "Fine. But don't expect me to call you guys 'mom' and 'dad'." he still shivered at the thought. Comparing anyone to his own mother was like calling a demon an angel. You just couldn't do it. He couldn't compare his mother to anyone. _Ever_.So it hurt to even think about it like that. It hurt to even _pretend_.

He wanted to scream out that it wasn't fair, he should be looking for for the philosophers stone, not playing with a bunch of kids. He wanted to. Earnestly and honestly.

But this was for Al.

The sooner he got it done and over with, he'd go back to his brother. Almost protectively, Ed clutched onto his automail. There was a reason he was home schooled, he never told Riza or Roy, but he wasn't really the most popular person. This was the boy who only had a mechanic and his brother, a few officers in his military team. But making friends was a whole new story.

He couldn't do it.

He already knew he'd make enemies.

His automail guaranteed it.

**_X_**

As soon as they pulled into the forest, Ed could sense the dread already filling his being. He would be with kids his age, something he hadn't done since a young, young age himself. The car screeched to a stop in front of an old run down sign in all bold grey letters. It was tilted slightly, almost sending shivers down the young alchemist's back.

He hid his arm protectively under his coat, and stiffened as Riza opened the door for him.

He took a breath.

"Well, I guess this is it."

**Hello, I don't own Fullmetal alchemist. At all . . . *cries in a corner***

**Anyways, I hope you review! No flames please! If you don't like it, then don't read it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**A Summer Start**

As soon as they pulled into the forest, Ed could sense the dread already filling his being. He would be with kids his age, something he hadn't done since a young, young age himself. The car screeched to a stop in front of an old run down sign in all bold grey letters. It was tilted slightly, almost sending shivers down the young alchemist's back.

He hid his arm protectively under his coat, and stiffened as Riza opened the door for him.

He took a breath.

"Well, I guess this is it."

Ed looked up at Riza's hand that stretched down to help him out, contemplating on whether or not to. He shook the thought away and ignored the hand, stubbornly jumped out of the car himself, and purposefully slammed the door as hard as he could in his wake.

Roy scowled in the general direction of the boy, and it was matched right back in an equally furious gaze. In that moment, both of them had a silent war, communicating between minds alike and different. Little metaphorical sparks flying. Almost as soon as they started, they stopped, both snorting like children and indignantly turned away. Riza couldn't help but watch in awe. It was like they had their own little language, and both of them spoke it fluently.

Fight, make up with out words, fight.

And endless chase of cat-and-mouse, where both of them wanted to be the cat. So it ended up being some sort of brawl for the title of 'tiger'.

She watched as Roy smirked. And that concluded, somehow in their squeamish, and somewhere in the glare, the older man had won. Riza shook her head. They were both so much like each other. But they were just so _different_.

Ed flattened his jacket, smoothing down the wrinkles he imagined were there, and taking a shaky breath, he looked around the clearing they had stopped at. Past the sign, which to closer inspection said CALM CREEK in bolted letters, he could faintly hear the bickering and yowling of children, almost making his stomach churn. A grove of pines circled them, the needles littering the ground like leaves in the fall.

His golden eyes paused by the sitting squirrels with mixed emotions, two of them were together on the highest branch of a spruce. He frowned, immediately thinking of Al.

The creeping loneliness closed up in his mind, but he shook it away. It wouldn't do his younger brother any good to mope, and it most certainly wouldn't bring him to his side.

And why would he be lonely? He had Roy and Riza-not to mention all of the other children in the camp. So why wasn't it enough?

_Well, that's easy. Al's not here, and I'm stuck with a skirt-chasing bastard._ Ed pulled a face unhappily.

Roy took quick notice to the boy's attitude. "Get your act together Fullmetal. We're supposed to be a happy family, so get with the program." He let his deep blue eyes sink into the boy's expression.

_Like that makes me feel any better_. Ed huffed, admitting ever-so-slightly that the Colonel had a point. Not that he would ever say that out loud.

They had a mission they needed to get underway.

Riza walked in front of Ed, leading him again by the shoulder. Her hand was cold over his flesh arm, unresponsive and had the feeling of death.

_It seems like these few hours... Everything's gotten colder. That suit of armor's warmer than this place._

With this little bit of a confession, a man in a red shirt came barreling through the trees, snapping Ed out of his inner sanctum of thought. He was muttering apologies at lightning fast speed. "I am _so_ sorry! My apologies for being so late, I was stuck doing...er...child control. These kids can be a handful."

Roy pulled a tight grin, something so fake Edward wanted to keel over. Luckily the man didn't notice. "I know what you're going on about, believe me."

The infuriatingly cheerful Councilor's hair was suspiciously pineapple shaped, slicked up to a point. He knelt down to be eye-level with the younger alchemist. In a baby voice he cooed innocently, "What's your name little-" Ed flinched, clenching his fish into his automail arm, "-fella?"

He ground out. "Ed-ward." Riza smiled while Roy looked utterly baffled. Who knew Ed could hear a small joke without ranting? He felt smug to say the least, able to deal with his subordinate with just a few orders. The man, who Ed noticed had a slight lisp and two buck teeth, jumped excitedly, clapping like some sort of a seal.

"Well It's time to meet the other campers!"  
"Oh _joy_." Ed rolled his eyes.

Clearly, the man didn't know the meaning of sarcasm. He just stripped Ed of his backpack, tossed it to Roy, and laughed. "He'll sleep with the other campers in the cabins, you _two_ will get your own private staff room!"

_So they're dumping me in with a bunch of strangers?_

Roy smirked triumphantly. "Bye Full-" Riza cut him off with a stamp of her foot. "-ER Ed. Bye."

The name that glinted off of the Councilor's name tag was Tom, a strangely normal name for such a strange man.

Tom sent the two off in the direction of rising smoke coming from a set chimney. "Bye Mr. and Mrs. Mustang! See you at dinner!" He turned back to Ed, a smile nearly splitting his face in two. It sickly reminded the younger of Truth, and his engulfing 'happy face'.

He followed Tom closely though, the forest reminded him a little bit too much of _that_ island Izumi had sent them on when they were younger. He shuttered briefly.

_The good old days_. He thought bemusedly, turning his automail hand into a fist again. He eliminated any and all chances of getting lost by clinging close-by to the pineapple man. He would never admit it of course, like a lot of things, but his stomach was doing a bunch of different twists and turns.

_Since when did I care about what others thought about me? _On the surface of course, he had the mask set. His 'I don't give a shit' face. Not even Alphonse had really learnt about his veil. Maybe he'd found the first few layers, but Ed was much deeper, call it what you will.

The roaring of children stopped abruptly when they first took a step into the god-forsaken land. An all out war zone seemingly tamed for the time-being.

Ed noticed there were benches lining the cabins, which by themselves looked like they were supported by wooden beams. Said benches were crammed with teens his age. Snickers and whispers spread like a certain Colonel's fire, turning into snide remarks and such. Eyes of green, brown, and blue, looked at him through the sea of dull colors. His own hair seemed to be outstandingly bright, between the shades of grey, black, and light tawny.

He didn't miss the girls, who looked at him with envious glares, not to which the blonde couldn't understand. that was the most common look he was getting. Envy. An unadulterated look of pure jealousy at its finest. Tom blathered on, unaware to the intense looks, quieted whispers, and snickers of taunts. A few of the cat-calls were 'GAY' and 'PRETTY BOY'. Ed couldn't help but notice he was _cringing _at the taunts.

He was the hardened Fullmetal Alchemist! He could take a bunch of spoiled kids! Tom continued obliviously chattering. "This fine one here is Edward Mustang!" Ed glowered at the ground.

_Stupid Mustang. Stupid everything._

"And I want you to welcome him to Calm Creek with open arms, you got that?" His stern look dissipated to drunk-happy. "Carry on!"

Ed could hear muffled laughter, mostly from the girls. _Probably __jealous_. He laughed inwardly. _What a bunch of selfish pansies. _He looked through the crowd, wanting to start his search for the criminals they were supposed to root out. Who knew where they could have been? They could have been children, adults, or random campers around the area.

Another call made him flinch extensively. "SHORT LITTLE PRICK!"

Forgetting to keep his anger bottled, he swiveled to face the person who ever dare insult the alchemist. "WHO FUCKING SAID THAT?"

The kid was only a bit taller than Ed, with a black shirt an ripped up jeans-he looked like a miniature Jean Havoc. His scruffy looking blond-brown hair was spiked up, his eyes as cold as the infamous Hawkeye's when Roy forgot his paperwork. Ed blanched defensively. "What the fuck?"

"Didn't you hear me smart-ass?" His cronies behind him were ready to strike, just waiting for the order, while the alchemist did everything he could to keep his fist out of the bastard's face.

Ed grunted through his clenched jaw. "I heard you. Loud and clear. Care to say it again to my face?"

"Or maybe..." The boy drawled. "You're to _short_ to hear me."

It took great-no-tremendous control to hold back and not attack the brat. He was _asking_ for it, for crying out loud!

Ed settled for a toned down version of his rant. "'M not short you fuck-wad." The boy waved away the insult with a smirk just like Roy's, if not, even more taunting.

"I don't think you get it." The boy sneered. "_I'm _the one in charge around here. _I _make the rules." Ed rolled his eyes. What a self-proclaimed idiot.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "That a funny one. Because I could snap you like a twig." He scornfully balled up his hands, meeting a glare head on. The boy didn't seemed fazed. With him it was like the insults went through one ear and out the other.

He just smirked at the shorter's reaction. "If you're going to be difficult, then I'm going to have to beat the fight out of you kid. This is my world, here everyone listens. And you will too." He began his slow walk away from Ed. "The name's Joshua Decker, Edward Mustang. Remember it. It'll do you good."

"Bring it on Decker." Ed shot back, standing straight up.

"Well see you later then." With half of his body out of sight he finished smugly. "Pipsqueak."

Joshua was gone, and Ed let out a vicious howl. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THEY COULD RIDE ON THE BACK OF DUST YOU ASS!?" He frowned at the sky, trees dutifully swaying in the slight breeze. He'd only been there for how long? Ten minutes? And he's already made an enemy?  
"Just my luck." He grumbled out and heaved a sigh, following the trail he had seen the other kids disappear by.

Another clearing opened up, a crowd of teens circling around Tom, who just seemed to bask in the spotlight. "We're going to play volleyball today-" Ed tuned him out and walked to the back, not really wanting to gather any attention to is being.

His eyes traveled over the heads, catching sight at grey eyes staring back at him. Joshua. In his smug little glory.

He moved over and whispered something into one of his lackey's ears. They snickered and erupted with laughter, Joshua glancing at him mid-laugh to confirm Ed's suspicions.

They were laughing at him.

He turned away and looked back at Tom, deciding it was about time he started to listen. "-Blue team over on this side of the net please." He followed some of the shuffling bodies to one side, Joshua and presumably his whole gang on the other. One guy knocked Ed to the side.

"Hey watch it!" The boy shouted, making Ed go frigid and still with rage.

Tom cut off his soon-to-be outburst by passing him the ball. "Serve it." Ed nodded and moved behind the white line in the back. He held the ball up with his left hand, lining it up with his closed fist. He took a step forward and watched the ball spur erratically before flying gracefully in an expert underhand. There were oohs and ahhs. And the occasional snicker.

Ed frowned.

Joshua hit the ball back, an overhand.

Back and forth they went, just the two of them, throwing out fury in the form of shots and dives. Anyone in their line of fire took a step back, absolutely terrified of getting involved in the fight raging. Some dodged the raining volleyballs, many taking cover behind their fellow teenagers. Ed raised his automail, slamming into it with as much force as he could.

As it barreled to the other side, he heard a sickening crack and a loud scream. Joshua cradled his bleeding nose, pinching it to stop the flow. "Cheater!"

Ed roared back. "I didn't so anything you insufferable brat!"

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

Tom hauled Joshua off of the court with a gaunt smile. He put another Councilor in charge, one named Grace. She was timid, but stood her ground against the kids, a lady in her young twenties. She looked reproachfully at an angry Ed. "You okay?"

The latter turned away. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She smiled sadly. That boy had a few problems of his own to sort out. Number one on the list, denial. To trust others, it seemed like he had dug up his own grave.

A lot of hurt was hidden under the infuriating gold.

She sighed. What a troublesome kid indeed.

_**X**_

Dinner was uneventful and promised a lengthy speech and lecture from the Colonel about 'responsibility' and 'discrete behavior'.

"What were you _thinking_?" Roy, in his new Councilor shirt, scolded with such furious in his eyes it almost _hurt_ to look at him. Ed steeled himself.

"I was _thinking_ he deserved it, bastard." Ed looked away from Roy.

"Fullmetal, look at me."

"No."  
"_Fullmetal _I swear I will-"

"What? Court-martial me? Go ahead bastard, anything's better than this place."

Roy sighed and massaged his temple, the tell-tale signs of a migraine appearing. "No. I just want this to go smoothly, understand?"

Ed knocked back his tray of uneaten food into the garbage can, going back to the table where Roy and Riza were. "I understand. But _you_ don't." Without another word, he left the two there, following the male campers to their cabin.

Roy glanced at Riza. "What was that supposed to mean?"

Realization dawned the Lieutenant. She dumped the rest of her food in complete depression. "You're going to need to figure it out yourself sir."

_Edward is absolutely miserable without his brother._

She left him to his own thoughts, Roy just looked up and the wood plank ceiling, lost in his own mind.

_**X**_

It's just like they say, the first night alone is always the hardest. Ed sat on his bunk, far in a corner, away from most human contact. The only life in sight was a shy boy named Ethan, and even _he_ wouldn't try to get close to Edward. At the moment, he had two titles. One being 'The-boy-who-nailed-Decker-so-hard-he-cried' and 'the-boy-who's-so-gonna-get-it'.

Back to Ed, he was under his covers. So desperately wanting sleep, but being deprived of it nevertheless. He was still wearing his clothes, not bothering to change. It was already four or so in the morning anyways.

Under the woolen fabric he was almost begging for a good night of rest. But the nightmares wouldn't allow it. Every time he drifted off, a dream of _that_ night would appear.

The white, the whole expanse of white and the Truth.

Even after all of the years, it still broke through all of his barriers with unimaginable guilt. Sometimes it would be Nina, other times it would be Al all over again.

Without Al to wake up to in his fit of dreams, who could he talk to? Definitely not Roy, he's just laugh at his problems.

And Riza would probably shoot him.

So he chose the solitary road.

Sure, at your first look at the Elric brothers, it seemed like only _he_ was taking care of _Al._ But if you'd really get to know them, you'd realize they took care over _each other_. It was equivalent exchange. But this? The solitary Ed was like an off-set equation, unbalanced and just begging to collapse.

He groaned and gave up at the fitful attempt at slumber, throwing the sheets past his knees.

Ed strained his hearing once he picked up hush whispers from across the room. Joshua's voice was the most noticeable out of all of them. "-freak hit me really hard."

Another voice sounded. "Should we deal with this, Decker?"

"Nah." Joshua broke into laughter. "I have a better idea."

Ed listened to them until daybreak, hearing a few of their schemes and plans along the way. He listened along to the insults and banter with a blank expression, knees to his chest, a deep hate filling his eyes. He knew he had a job to do as Fullmetal...

But they hadn't started this with Fullmetal, they had started a war with Edward Elric.

Dim light cast his molten gold eyes out in the darkness, and they flickered to Ethan, who stood ten feet away. The boy shrank back and hopped into his bed, Ed yawning.

They wanted to fight? Sure, he could dish it back ten-fold. Whatever they had in store.

Or so he had thought.

**A/N: Hello! I was really happy with the response from the last chapter! Um,I didn't really think it would catch the interest of anybody! So keep it up, and I know this is pretty short, but my arms have been killing me (taekwondo makes my arms hurt X( So yeah) Just please... no flames... I know it's not perfect, but you don't need to rage about it if you don't like it. I DON'T OWN FMA (Fullmetal Alchemist)**

**'Till next time! ~Payton  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey there! Thank's for the reviews and such, the helpful ideas got me through the chapter and I got a bunch of ideas to hopefully make the story better. And thank you so much Victorious-Mind for telling me about the other story. I just started reading it, because I read the summary and I did realize (I hadn't heard of it before) Mine sounds a LOT like it.**

**I'm trying to make sure it doesn't go down the same road. FOR SURE! And on another note, I won't make Ed cry... At least for the next 8 chapters... I think. And even if he does, it'll be that type of 'Ed cry' where it's not some sort of mental breakdown. Ed doesn't do that sort of thing. He's more like 'deny, deny, fall, get up, keep going, die, rise up from the ashes, blah blah blah.' Since I think Parental Roy is absolutely adorable, I need to put some sort of thing somewhere. Just not... a girl cry because he's being bullied. More like... oh you get what I mean.**

**I don't own Fullmetal and I only own my OC's, and even then, I don't really own them. They're just... There.**

**ONE MORE THING! Go easy on me, I don't have a beta, my friend is my beta. And even then, she's technically just looking for a mistake here and there. So I take HELPFUL criticism Not an all out flame telling me how horrible my writing is. I'm only 13... Just tell me what you think I could make better, don't tell me it all-out stinks. (At least no one has given me a flame yet) The first thousand words suck, I know.**

**Let's also clear this up before we start. Ed already knows about the Homunculi. Keep that info in your back pocket, por favor.**

**CHAPTER THREE**

_**A Missed Phone Call**_

The morning wake-up call brought groans of protest, and pleas of 'five more minutes'. The only ones not complaining were the boys that had been awake already, those said teens hopping dutifully from the beds to change. Edward of course didn't need to change, he had worn his clothes to sleep.

Not because he was afraid of their reaction to automail, but because he wasn't eager to answer the dreaded questions. The questions of 'how did it happen' or something along the lines of 'does it hurt?'

Roy was the one that came to rouse them, Ed choked back on laughter at the sight of the Colonel in a red polo shirt. He did let a bit of the pent up laugh out, snorting as he did so.

The man smirked at the boy as if to suggest he try to laugh more, and dare see what would happen. Ed silenced at that.

He led them to the Mess Hall, snaking through trees with ease. He held a map in front of his face, hoping he wouldn't get his group lost. Riza was in charge of the other division of girls, group A. Roy had group B, and Tom had group D, if he remembered correctly, the others he had met the night before had groups C, E, and F. The Councilors were in charge of guiding and setting up activities, but other than that, they had an easy enough job.

_No paperwork_. Roy mused with a small twinge of a smile. Riza couldn't bully him into completing his Colonel duties, and for that, Roy was glad and quick to accept the red shirt if it meant he could skip out on such an hellish thing.

They arrived at the Mess, a large cabin building, two times as large as the sleeping quarters. Ed crossed his arms over his chest, defying the massive building above him. He thought to himself wryly. _Why am I so short compared to these people?_ He knew if he had said that aloud Roy would've commented a little like this, _"You're short wherever you are Fullmetal."_

Edward let the shy yet warm morning breeze blow over his trademark braid, the tail flapping over his shoulder to rest defiantly. If it was a surprise, Ed's cowlick stayed straight up, as stubborn as he was.

Roy led them inside and left to go find Riza. Ed looked around, shrugging as he grabbed an already made breakfast of eggs and bacon before settling in the far back. He needed time to think, and he had a feeling that going to sit with others wouldn't have a positive affect. He did notice though, the small glances he was getting from some of the girls.

Something like lust shone in their eyes, Ed turned back to his thoughts with a disturbed expression. If the girls were anything like Winry, he was in trouble.

His first suspect was Decker and co. It seemed likely that his group would be the one behind the threats, and thinking back to the file, the disappearance of a half a dozen campers since the summer before. As it said in the report, they just up and vanished.

_But people don't just disappear_.

He thought maybe Joshua was involved somehow, maybe had a few ties somewhere. Ed then touched the subject of his assignment once again. They could have sent a more experienced person to come to the camp, but no. The _Fuhrer himself_ chose Ed, picked him out of the bunch, and carted him off with a bastard to a summer camp. He just knew if he had heard the idea any time before, he would've fallen down in laughter. It just didn't seem plausible.

From far away, Ed did look rather lonely in the darker corner. Maybe that's what drew the two originals from their own spot to the boy. A curious eye and another match watched before shuffling over.

Ed's thoughts continued to travel quickly. He stopped abruptly and his blood turned cold. _I forgot to call Al last night_! He yelled at himself inwardly, cursing himself out for not being there for the younger. In that armor it was cold and dreary to be stuck. And Ed couldn't be there for him, it made his chest clench at the thought. He sighed and rubbed his temples. "I'm horrible." He grumbled.

"Why's that?" He looked up to see the owner of the voice. A girl with red hair, the color of burning fire. He frowned slightly, he hadn't seen the ruby coloring in the masses of heads the day before. his eyes traveled down to her eyes, both covered by black shaded glasses. She was wearing a tee-shirt, a simple yet vibrant green.

He ignored her question and asked not impolitely, but firmly. "Who're you?" Expecting her to make some snide remark, he didn't anticipate the girl to slide into the seat across from him.

"I'm Sayler. Sayler Ingram." She held up a slim arm and waved wildly to a boy in line. "Leo! Come'ere!"

Ed watched as he made his way over, tray in hand. His oak brown hair was neat, an uncommon trait in male hair, his flashing brown eyes almost matching Riza's sherry color. He seemed a bit shy, his striped shirt was a white-black. His face was littered with freckles like paint or water-drops yet they seemed to suit him perfectly. His hair was on the longer side, to his shoulders and hanging over his eyes to be parted down the middle.

He noticed how Leo's shirt was long-sleeved, and how he had a jacket _over_ said shirt.

_Why would he need a long sleeve shirt and a jacket during the summer?_

Ed shook his head passively. _I'm such a hypocrite._

Leo stuck out his right hand to greet the shorter. "I'm Leonardo Messersmith. Call me Leo." His hand was on the harder side, and he didn't seem surprised that Ed's own was lacking the warmth of a human one under his gloves. Leo was wearing his own pair as well.

"Edward El-Mustang. Just call me Ed." He fixed his mistake in the nick of time.

Sayler moved food around her tray and caught Ed staring at her carton. "Want my milk?" She asked.

He snorted. "No way."  
Leo commented slowly with bacon hanging from his lower lip. "You're never gonna grow if you don't drink your milk!"

He ignored the insult and looked at Sayler's glasses. He couldn't see the eyes underneath, he was going to ask when she beat him to the punch. "You wanted to know about my eyes, I'm guessing."

He nodded, and she slid the shades up into her hair. One pale unseeing eye laced with scars, another bright green like her shirt. they contrasted simply, fighting for dominate attention. Both were equally stunning. "Well?"She inquired. "Aren't you going to ask how I became blind in one eye?"

Edward shook his head. "No. I'm not." He knew the pain of retelling tragedies. He knew the pain all too well to ask someone about their own demons. But he was faintly surprised when she continued.

"I see you have your own troubles locked away...I get it." She stood up and walked to a trash bin to toss the leftovers, slipping her glasses back over her one blind eye and her good one, before striding away. Leo looked apologetically at the other.

"Did I mention she's a psychic?" He let out a strangled chuckle.  
Ed glowered. "Glad you find this amusing."

"Hey grumpy-pants." Leo chided, wagging his finger playfully. "Embarrassed?"

"No way!"

Leo then held out his hand again. "Lets shake on it."

"Shake on what?"

Ed studied the pale teen's face. He looked no older than he, his face rid of all baby fat and slightly attractive. Leo answered as if the question was, 'is the sky blue'. "Let's be friends."

He blinked at the hand, grinned, and gripped it with his own. They met each other's gazes wen they waved their hand up and down. behind the shy boy's eyes was a fire. Like Ed, he had that strong determination.

"Friends." Ed confirmed.

Leo's grin turned into that of a sly fox's. "Hey _friend._ Do you have five sens I can borrow?" He rolled his eyes and forked up the money, Leo pocketing it happily.

Ed shook his head, but did so equally happy. _What a weird kid.__  
_

_Correction_. Ed chided himself. _What a weird friend. _It was a strange thought. Sure, he had Winry and Al, and an occasional fan. But he hadn't really come across someone so willing and interesting in a long time. Someone willing to become a _friend_.

Edward glanced at Leo uncertainly and asked dubiously. "What's up with _your_ eyes?"

Leo's were in fact were shimmering with depth, a look of pure evil radiating beneath them. He sang. "Judging by the trajectory of the moon and the sun, I'd say that I'm planning on how to mooch more sens from you!" He rolled his eyes at his new-found companion. He was strange on all levels.

All levels indeed.

**_X_**

Arts and crafts. Edward Elric doing arts and crafts. The idea is ludicrous. And god forbid Ed could live it down...ever. He was a fighter, not a macaroni-mosaic-maker. He sat with he glue in one hand, macaroni elbows in the other fistful. Blobbing them on thoughtfully, he glanced out of the side of his vision to see Roy, who was muffling laughter behind a hand, a humored expression shining in his eyes.

Ed mouthed "_BASTARD!"_ Before returning to his masterpiece. And a masterpiece it was.

A... wrench. To be more precise, Winry's. Ed clutched the back of his head with a hiss of pain. Just looking at the damn thing brought back painful memories.

Of the oh-so-joyous occasions when Winry graced his head with the tool.

It was like a dream com true, reliving the experiences. Note the sarcasm, in fact, Ed could already feel a splitting headache forming, just like his brief concussions he would get when the piece collided with his skull.

And it always left a decent dent, though it was never permanent.

He looked over at Leo's work, a slender machete on the thick piece. He raised an eyebrow, Leo just shrugging it off. "I like weapons." he replied simply.

And that was that.

Sayler took a liking to staring at Edward's face. She looked into the gold, deciphering every slight fault of his vision. She nodded sadly and in the last five minutes, rushed to put her project together. Her hands became a flurry of elbows and glue, nods of approval, and slight shakes. She held it up as Tom came around to inspect them. "Look familiar?"

Ed's mouth went agape. It was a suit of armor. _Alphonse's _suit of armor. In its glory, it stood straight in the macaroni holiness. His breath caught in his throat. He thought erratically. _Form a coherent sentence. Coherent... Think Coherent._

"Yeah." Was what he settled for in his surprised moments. "But how-?"  
She held up a hand. "I just... saw it. Next to you. Side by side. I'm guessing you two are close?"

Ed ignored the question, watching as all of the papers and macaroni were collected with mixed interest. Guilt flooding through him first. Then anger. How _dare_ she use her little 'mind's eye' to look inside of him! It just wasn't _normal_! He corrected his mind. He wasn't normal either, in fact, he was one of the biggest oddities he had ever seen.

"Don't think like that." Sayler chided with a sad smile and furrowed brows.

"How do you _do_ that?" Ed scornfully made a fist of his automail under the table.

She chucked. "You're an open book Edward. You wear your heart on your sleeve."

_No I don't!_

She continued. "At least that's what I see. Someone desperate for attention." Sayler waited for Leo to follow her, and went after Ed, who had stormed from the room to their next station. The blond still couldn't let his eyes meet theirs, it wasn't true, she was just wrong! Simple. She was just flat out wrong! He wasn't some attention whore, and he _most __definitely_ did _not_ wear his heart on his sleeve! He was one of the most secretive people he knew!

But maybe it was just her, he decided. Maybe she was just insightful like that.

It still unnerved him that someone could see inside of him like that. It was like a small little key she held. And that key unlocked every mind in her path. Sayler could see into a soul with a glance. She could _read _people like books.

And it scared Ed a bit. What else could she see? All of his mistakes? His faults? His errors?

He shook his head. No. No, no, and no. Her skill _couldn't_ see that deep within him. Well, that's what he hoped. _The Fullmetal Alchemist doesn't get scared!_Ed inwardly groaned. He had never anticipated that the assignment would entail bullies, friends, a mind-reader, and acting like a _normal_ teen. Which Ed found difficult. He had to think.

What did normal teenagers do?

He was fairly certain they didn't join the military or fight Homunculi.

_This is way harder than I thought._

He smirked. It was all for Al. Screw the bullies, screw the arts and crafts. he could _do_ this! He was Edward Elric! Hero of the people! The FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST! It seemed like that was his reason for being tough. Like a single title could be his pillar. But that's all it was. A title. Being a state alchemist didn't make you a better person. It didn't make you stronger. It wasn't a pillar of confidence.

Because even confidence cracks under pressure, like glass plummeting down hundreds and hundreds of feet.

Only to smash and shatter into millions and millions of pieces. Too many pieces to find, to many to gather.

Ed lifted his eyes to see a hand firm on his shoulder. Her nails were long and painted a still black. "I'm sorry if I upset you Edward."

He shook his head, forcing a smirk. "No Sayler. You didn't upset me. I just needed to use the bathroom."

"Edward." Sayler pointed out. "The bathroom's the opposite way. And I thought you were going to your next station?"  
"Oh yeah. _That's_ what I was doing!"

Sayler shook her head, red splaying over her shoulders. "You're a bigger airhead than Leo."

"Am not!" Ed growled out, to which Sayler giggled.

"And you're shorter than him too! I didn't think it was possible, but you _are_!"

"Hey!" Ed barked, shrugging off her hand. "I am _not_ short!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you?"

"I'm..." Ed sputtered out indignantly. "Vertically challenged!"

"That's what they all say." Sayler replied with a short smirk, Leo caught up with them. "Fuck, Say! Let me catch up, will you?" She smacked him upside the head.

"Watch your mouth Leonardo."  
"You're not my mother!" He replied in a shrill squeak, to which Ed smiled upon. They were like a bickering couple, and it was sort of cute. He took a liking to watching their squabble.

Sayler turned her nose up at Leo. "If only _she_ would teach you some _manners_!"

"She's always too busy working on my you-know-what!" Leo hissed."She worries about it more than my real body, I tell you!"

The girl smirked. "Well she has the right. You always go and break it. Your mother takes time and money into the thing, and you go and smash it."

Leo frowned. "I do not!"  
Ed grew curious. _What are they talking about_?

"Do too!" Sayler pointed at his face. "And don't you lie to me! You need _it_ replaced every month because you get too careless!"

_She sounds sort of like Winry_. Ed observed carefully, running his eyes up and down the boy who was blushing just about fifty shades of red.

Leo looked at the ground, suddenly interested in the scattered needles."We should go. We'll be late for our next station. What do we have scheduled anyways?"

Ed pointed out. "We have a hiking trip with group E."

Sayler frowned. "Looks like this is where we part ways. I have swimming with C."

"You're in A right?"

"Yeah." She replied coolly, waving behind her as she strode away. "See you later for lunch and break." They waved back, setting off to meet Roy and the Councilor for group E, which would be meeting group B in the clearing at the front of the camp. The next class, or station as they called it, was the weekly five-mile-hike. Something Ed wasn't particularly dreading, what with his strength and all.

The only thing he was worried for was his automail. Winry would throw a hissy fit if he got any dents in it.

He'd need to be careful.

Ed shook the morbid thought from his head and followed Leo to the procession of planning that awaited in the clearing. He had heard from a few boys that they had safety measures they needed to explain, because the hike went through a set of cliffs. He wasn't particularly happy about it.

Just what he needed; a hiking trip over hundred foot drops with Joshua Decker, a bunch of other boys, and a group of E girls. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

His only accomplice was Leo, who stood at his side as they walked through the fallen branches, dying leaves, pines, and spruces. He stood up straight, scowl in place.

And they stepped into the clearing, Ed's face paled.

Joshua was standing smugly in the middle of the group. He looked over to the blond and smirked.

_Just what does he have planned_?

Roy started to explain some things to the group, Ed shuffled with Leo to the back, keeping his eyes trained on the scheming teenager. "Okay, so we'll be taking to route up to the Summer Spring, which is apparently five miles from this spot. I want you to each have a buddy, and I want you _all-" _Roy glanced at Ed venomously "-to stay _out of trouble_."

When no one responded, he snapped. "Everyone got that?"

"Yes sir!" The chorus rang out. Ed found himself smiling faintly. _What a bastard_.

The girls joined the group. A big mass of giggles and smiles. Rainbows and buttercups would be a good way to describe them. They were _all_ rainbows and buttercups. Cindy, group E's Councilor, clapped to get their attention. "Everyone listen up!"

The boys fell silent to, gazing up at the beautiful women. "I want you all to stay safe, got that?" The boys drooled a nod.

Edward looked around with a face of pure disgust, but didn't get to know more about the boy mind because Roy called out. "Let's get going!"

They started their trek up the spiraling mountain top at the base, of course. And they began walking, as the sun rose higher and higher into the robin egg sky.

_**X**_

The walk up wasn't that bad for Ed, his 'buddy' Leo, on the other hand, was having a rougher time. Ed glanced back ever minute or so to make sure his friend was all right, but Leo just seemed to be limping at a struggling pace. It was like his _arm_ was slowing him down. He kept clutching it with a tight vice-grip, and he kept _clawing_ at it.

Every time Ed would ask, Leo would just push him away. But a bit after the three mile mark, he finally had enough. "Okay, tell me what's up."

"The sky?" Leo answered half-jokingly.

"No Leo. _Dammit_! Tell me what's bothering you!" They had fallen a bit behind the group, the only ones behind _them_ were Joshua and one of his friends. Leo ducked his head down, the brown sticking to his face from the heavy sweat.

He shrugged. "It's just my shoulder."

"What happened?" The firm tone in Ed's voice didn't leave as he inquired further.

"You'll just laugh at me." He explained quickly.

Ed seriously doubted that. "I won't laugh. Promise."

"If you... say so." Leo began to strip off his glove, and rolled up his sleeve slowly. But before Ed could see it, Leo had shouted something, and he felt a massive force slam into his side. He fell over, trying to grip something, anything. It was like a rock had rammed into his automail.

His fingertips slid through air.

He closed his eyes as everything began to tilt, someone screamed.

He heard Roy shout, and a scrabbling of dirt above him. He kept rolling, pain streaking up his shoulder with spikes and dips, the fire never leaving the port as the automail bent at weird angles through his decent down.

And everything stopped, his world grew cold, black strings of vision streaking down the sky.

Leo was in front of him, his shoulder gleaming from under his shirt with-what was that? Metal? Automail?  
Then he saw Roy, who pushed through the new crowd of onlookers who had gathered in the crevice. Ed saw his mouth moving rapidly, and his eyes widen a little, and his massive hands shaking his shoulders. He couldn't have cared less, there was an eerie peace that surrounded him.

He knew he's have to call Al and Winry when he woke up.

_If _he woke up.

But he shut his eyes, claiming the game set and match.

Joshua; 1. Edward; 1.

It was a set tie. And Ed knew he didn't just _fall_ off the side.

He was pushed.

**Review and stuff! Can YOU guess what's going to happen next? Well, there'll be Winry's wrench, Al's worried calls, Leo's confession (not for love) AND MORE! Heh, I sound like one of those T.V. salespeople.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A:N/ Hello again. This chapter took me a while to think up, because I was veryyyy confused on what to write after... *laughs* Ed's great fall. Um but yeah. I don't own FMA at all, or else I'd be rich. And well... I'm not. So... Yeah. Thanks again to Victorious-Mind,! You should really check out her stories, they're awesome! (And she gives the most amazing inspiration during my time-of-need) But so do all of my other wonderful supporters. So keep it up! **

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_**What He's Never Had**_

Ed sat in that expanse of white for a long time. When a person goes into a coma, per say, do they just wake up with no remembrance of that time while they were asleep? Most of the time, yes they do. But Ed's different, if you've never been one to know.

Ed's original.

So he could feel, the whole time he was unconscious the little ticking of talkative visitors, the rushing of nurses, and the sound of Roy's banter to Riza, the sound of her gun being loaded, the sound of the Colonel screeching to a halt on his complaining could be heard. He even heard the thump of a stack of paper hitting a table next to wherever he was, and Ed felt a little inward smirk at the groan that sounded.

_So Colonel Bastard actually has to work some, doesn't he._

Roy of course probably thought he'd get off scotch-free with no work.

_Lazy fucking bastard._

He let out a groan, the people around the bed jumping to attention. Ed tried to open his eyes, but it felt as if heavy sandbags were covering them. Ed clenched his jaw at the immense pain that went through his body. What exactly had happened?

_Oh yeah. I let my guard down and someone pushed me down the side of the cliff._

Ed thought for a moment before concluding that it had been Joshua. Who else? No one had been behind him besides the evil devil himself, so there was no possible lee-way for detective work. It was simple, right?

Now the only thing standing between him and ramming a fist in the kid's eye socket was the unconsciousness. Obviously, he had hit his head pretty hard, because even waking up seemed to difficult, so he slid back from the semi-consciousness and went back to the land of the dead. The world hummed behind his ears, but every word just jumbled up at that point, making everything a sort of nonsense.

Back in the land of the living, a shriek could be heard over the phone line. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HE'S BROKE IT'?"

Roy cleared his throat. "I assure you it was only a dent-"  
"WHERE IS HE?"  
Riza took the phone. "Winry. Just go to Central and we'll have someone drive you over."

"Hand the phone to Edward so I can BASH SOME SENSE INTO HIM!"

"Winry, he can't." Riza stated in a matter-of-factly. "He's unconscious."

The blonde on the other side sighed. "I just wish he'd be more careful. All right, I'm on my way to Central. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

And they hung up.

Roy glanced at the Lieutenant. "I never knew you were on first name basis." He stared at his paperwork in complete loathing . What he would do to get a hold of his ignition gloves and just... snap the damn things out of existence.

Riza nodded. "In Resembool I got to talk to her, remember?"

"When I first met Fullmetal?"

"Yes."

Roy made a soft 'Mmm' sound, and started contemplating on the many ways to skip out on his work.

**_X_**

Leo frowned and clutched his right arm to him protectively. "He's just like me, Sayler." They walked past trees, the rest of the day had been claimed as free for playing while they sorted out the infirmary and fixed up Edward. Tom wanted to continue the day, but the higher ups had said it wasn't fair to those who were 'traumatized'.

Sayler smiled sadly. "Well, what are you thinking about now?"

"How could Ed have _kept_ that from us? I thought we were friends!"

"You're being a bit of a hypocrite Leo. You didn't tell either."

He traced the automail up to his shoulder. "Well I had no _reason_ to." He then growled and turned the metal into a fist. "It's all that damn Decker's fault!"

Sayler cuffed his head. "No cursing."  
"Fuck you!"  
A smack. "No cursing. Want me to tell your mother?"

Leo squeaked. "No ma'am."

"Then don't curse, and I won't have to attend your funeral."

"Attend?" Leo asked incredulously, "You'd be leading it! Handing me to the devil!"

She rolled her eyes and kicked up a patch of leaves. From behind the black glasses, everything was shaded a bit darker, but she could still see fury shining bright in Leo's eyes. "Calm down. It's not your fault."

"But it is! I didn't catch him when I had the chance! He _fell_ down the side of a cliff! He could be in a coma because of me." He looked away sadly. "It's just like what happened with you. It's my fault."

Sayler punched Leo in the arm. "Don't say that. None of this is _your_ fault. Leo, you tried to help Ed. But it was Joshua's fault. Me becoming blind in one eye wasn't your fault either. It wasn't, alright?" Leo's eyes were trained on the ground.

"No matter what, I'll always blame myself for it. If I hadn't left then-"  
"No what-ifs, Leo. Shut up and let's go check on him."

"On Ed?"

"Who else you dunderhead?"

"Right."

The boy couldn't help but feel flustered. If only, if _only_ he could be like her. Be able to say the right things at the right time. But he could never find the right words to use in the first place. She was always on the inside. She knew what was going on.

Sayler was a modest know-it-all, and Leo respected her for it.

They walked through the blistering sun and bumped shoulders along the way. Sayler looked up to Leo with a frown. "Do you notice it to?"

"Notice what?"

"When I look into Edward's eyes, I see something wrong there."

"What?"

"A look no child should _ever_ have."

"Hm?"

"The look of pain, desperation, and need." They continued in silence, Leo thinking long and hard at those words.

"Are you sure?"  
"Am I ever wrong?" Sayler asked with raised eyebrows, feigning hurt.

"No." Leo smiled. She was _never _wrong. Like some sort of inhuman machine.

They stopped at the infirmary, pushing open the doors they walked up to the main desk. The nurse there, a small lady with pointed glasses, nodded sympathetically "Here to see Edward Mustang?"

Sayler nodded. "You wouldn't mind that, would you? We wouldn't want to be a bother." Leo wanted to roll his eyes. Another one of her many talents was her ability to convince others. A really handy thing when getting out of trouble.

The nurse smiled. "No trouble at all, he's at the end of the hall with his family, so I advise you to be quiet."

They nodded and rushed down the rows of door as fast as their legs could carry them. Leo shot her a questioning glance. "His family?"

"Councilor Mustang and Councilor Hawkeye, you know, the blonde?"  
"Really? I thought she looked like him, well, except for his eyes. But I guess it makes sense."

Sayler rapped her knuckles against the wood softly. She heard a 'come in', and swung the door inward, letting it sail open. A man and a woman, wearing the uniform councilor shirts, looked up.

The man was attractive, just like all the girls were saying, raven black hair that looked as if the man had just crawled out of bed. He was pale, his eyes actually a dark blue, which startled Leo. From far away, they looked onyx black. He looked up with a scowl. "Who're you?"

The other councilor, a blonde, put a hand on his shoulder to calm the man down.

Sayler put on a monotone expression that rivaled Roy's. "Edward's our friend, and we wanted to see how he was doing."  
Roy furrowed his brow. "Alright."

Sayler stepped closer to the bed, while Leo was dragged by Roy to a corner. "Can you explain to me what happened?"

"What?"  
Roy repeated himself. "What happened on the hike?"

"Well I thought you'd already know, _Councilor_." Leo narrowed his eyes. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought Roy's real name was Fuckwad, considering the evil look in his eyes that screamed _DOUCHE!_

"No I don't know, Leonardo. Please, _enlighten_ me."

"Well, _Councilor,_ I think you'll figure it out. Excuse me, _your highness_," Leo mocked, "But I have to go and see my _friend_." Finishing their spitting match, he walked back to where Sayler was. Looking and Ed, who was draped in bandages, he felt the guilt creep up on him all over again. He kept thinking it was _his_ fault, not being able to stop the asshole majorly responsible.

Roy walked back to Riza with an annoyed scowl that was steadily turning into a smirk. "He's a lot like Fullmetal, isn't he?"

"He's a lot like you, sir." Riza whispered back, "Maybe you should start calling Edward him by his real name."

"Why does it matter?"  
Roy felt a nagging feeling in his stomach when he looked at Edward, a bit bent and broken, his automail twisted at an odd angle, sweat nearly pouring from his face, and IV drip attached to his flesh wrist. He felt _responsible_.

And there was a strange tugging on his chest that made him look away before his eyes started to sting. The icy feeling in him was gone for a few seconds, so he averted his gaze. Roy Mustang would not be worried for a little _brat. _He was just subordinate, nothing more. He was just his responsibility until they found the criminals and hightailed it out of the place.

But oh, was Ed going to get an earful when he woke up.

Riza answered after a few moments of silence. "Because he trusts you. And it'll just be harder for him if you use a name suited for working. He's an outsider as it is, and it won't help if you go and pressure him."

Roy glanced back at the bed.

"OK. I guess you're right."

The teens left the room after a few minutes, Leo shooting Roy a death glare. It was a silent little exchange. Leo 'said' something like, 'you're nothing like a father'. Roy looked at him as if to say, 'I never meant to be'. Edward slept on. Leo sent him one more look as he parted that clearly meant, 'I know who did it.'

The older man felt strange feeling in his gut, and he bit his lip to try and disperse it. He couldn't really categorize the feeling, but it as strangely similar to worry.

_Why would I ever be worried about him?_

Even that couldn't kid the colonel. Somewhere in him, he was always worried about the golden-eyed brat. There was always a small space in his heart, however frozen it remained, that was reserved for the major. He cared for him, strange as it sounded.

_**X**_

Edward cracked an eye open. He sighed at the feeling over light flooding through the window. The heavy feeling hadn't left his eyes, but he felt strong enough to hold them up. He lifted his head wearily to see Roy sitting in a chair, actually _doing_ his paperwork.

He snapped to attention. "So you've come back to life Fullmetal?"  
Ignoring the obvious insult, he groaned. "What happened?"  
"I thought you'd be able to shed some light on that."

"Well," Concluded Ed, "I got pushed off the side of a cliff, if that counts for anything..." He watched Roy from the corner of his vision. The man put down his pen and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Stop being such a brat. What happened?"

"I can deal with it myself. I don't need your help." Ed turned so he was facing the window, overlooking a grassy meadow and a lake.

"Tell me what happened or I will-"

"You'll _what_, bastard?" Ed snapped. "Ground me? Spank me? Sorry Colonel, but you're _not_ my father!"

"Newsflash _Edward_!" Roy used his name. Ed turned to look at him. He was _serious_. And he looked _pissed_. "I never wanted to come here! Get that stick out of your butt and stop being so selfish!"  
When Ed didn't make a move to interrupt, he continued. "You've been doing nothing but ruin everything we had planned since you got here! You've been getting into fights, bad mouthing people, and denting your automail! And for what? Your pride?"

Edward was shocked, he made no move to move, either. He closed his gaping mouth and replied with a voice all too even. "If you haven't noticed, bastard, it isn't me that's starting the fights!"

"Then who is it?"  
"You wouldn't understand! No one would!"

"Explain, _dammit_!" Roy Mustang _cursed_. Ed closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Without Al, he was a mess. He wouldn't let himself become some sort of blubbering girl, he just wouldn't.

"None of your business!"  
"When it jeopardizes the mission, it is my business Edward! Tell me, _now._"

Ed clutched his automail without really registering it. "I'm different..." He concluded. "I've always known I've been different. But... this is... like I'm some sort of monster!" He laughed wryly. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Ed continued to laugh. It had no humor, just misdirected hurt and rage. He sighed. "I'm just hated. No one really likes me. It's just so frustrating."

"Well you have that girl, and that boy."

Ed shook his head. "Well, that I guess. But they all see me as different. And it reminds me of everything I've done wrong, everything I need to repent for." Ed let his gaze drop to the sheets. "I deserve every second of it too. That' the funny thing. I deserve all of this pain. Every second of it, I deserve all of it and more. For what I did to Al..."

Roy realized how different Ed seemed on the bed. He seemed so small against the covers, and just so vulnerable.

Ed babbled on. Roy thought vaguely that he was just letting it all out, not really noticing the Colonel's presence anymore. "It's only been what, a day or two? And I've done nothing but been verbally abused. I don't care about that, I can deal with it. I can... Take it all, if it means saving Al from that armor. But it still kind of hurts, you know?" he clutched his chest with his flesh hand. "Right here. I can't complain though. I really do deserve this. A payment for all my sins."  
The colonel didn't really know what to do, so he just watched.

Just watched, and did _nothing_.

Riza came in a moment later holding a file. "I see Edward's awake."  
The young alchemist put on a fake smile, one that Roy realized he put on a lot. "Sorry for worrying you guys."

_Wait, Ed's apologizing?_

"I'll call Winry now."  
_And he's offering to call the Rockbell girl?_

Riza intervened. "I already called her. She'll be here tomorrow." And the woman did something Roy should have done in the first place. She hugged him or a brief second. "Try to be more careful, alright?"

His eyes widened and glistened with un-shed tears. They were gone in a second though as he regained his composure. "Alright."  
Roy left, one sentence just ringing in his ears. Something he never thought he'd hear Fullmetal ever say. '_It still kind of hurts, you know?'_ He didn't know. The Flame had no idea what it felt like to be verbally abused by your peers, or to be cast out as a freak.

His throat constricted at the thought of Edward having to face that alone.

_At least he has two friends who really care._

He slipped into the Mess. It was dinner after all, and he had a lot to think about. '_Sorry Colonel, but you're _not_ my father_!'

_I know I'm not, but can't help but feel that I want to be._

**A/N" Sorry if it's a bit OOC, it's so hard to make Ed and Roy be Ed and Roy. I'm just so different! I tell people all of my problems, I'm like an open book! I don't keep secrets and it's so hard to make Ed soooo... Ed. Yeah. It's hard to make Edward be Edward. Till next time! ~**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I'm back once again! Oh god. I'm watching the Grudge... Funny stuff... Funny stuff... On my tumblr, I've seen the Patrick meme everywhere from spongebob. But I don't own fma, I think we've established that. *sighs with self loathing* I'm glad that people like my OCs. They have interesting characteristics. And oh ho ho! We learn Leo has an automail arm! Don't worry, he didn't preform the taboo, he's going to be different... And you'll find out why Leo blames himself for Sayler's injury and such. I haven't even figured that out myself... Heh... PM me if you have any good ideas for a plausible accident. I also really need a beta for some spell checking and grammar stuff. I don't want to look for one, so I'm asking any volunteers to PM me. Pretty please?**

**To Guest: I have no idea. I love llamas with hats, but I can't remember if there's a quote... I probably let it slip... HMMMMM.**

**And sorry for delaying this chapter. I was stumped...**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_**Solaris. . .**_

Leo and Sayler ate dinner in silence. Neither of them had much of an appetite, especially after seeing Edward unconscious and wrapped in bandages. Sayler spoke up first, ever the wiser. "You should tell him." She went back to poking her food with a plastic spork. Her eyes were still trained on Leo, who wasn't able to notice it behind her glasses.

"Tell who?" Leo feigned innocence and raised an eyebrow. Past his dirty brown hair, his eyes flashed out from the shadows cast by his bangs.

"You know who."

"No. I don't." Leo stuffed his cheeks with chicken and corn, a very strange combination. "I have _no_ idea what you're talking about."

Sayler lent forward and hissed venomously. "You need to tell Edward's mother or father about all. . . this."  
"And why should I?" he hissed back. "He can tell Councilor Mustang himself when he wakes up."

They both had a silent glaring war. Sayler continued. "But we don't want a repeat of last summer. Someone here isn't who they claim to be. It could very well be Joshua Decker. He could be the terrorist, he could be the threat to the camp. And he could very well be the person who. . . caused that. . . incident last summer too."

"You can't be for real!" Leo muttered through his closed teeth, gulping down his food heartily.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth Leonard." Sayler scolded.

"Jeez woman! You're not my mother! Fucking hell!"

The girl stood and smiled dryly. "We better go confront Decker."

"What! Are you mad? We'll get caught, and he'll send his cronies to skin our flesh for dinner!" Sayler leaned over the table and gave him a flick in-between the eyes.

"Are you telling me you're _scared_?"

"NO way!"

"Then prove it. Before he gets Ed killed, we'll go and see what's going on. We'll find out. All by ourselves."  
"You're insane!"  
Sayler winked at the astonished boy. "You think I don't already know that?" She slid up her glasses and watched as Leo averted his eyes. "Leo, look at me." His gaze flitted back. "We'll do this." She then held up a pinkie finger. "Promise."  
"A pinkie promise? That's something babies do!"  
"Just promise!"

He latched his finger around hers and they shook it once. "Promise." They echoed with finality, sealing it with trademark grins, they stood up and exited the Mess, leaving behind their plates.

They would sneak up on their group and see what exactly he was up to, even if it was the death of them. If they _didn't_ act, that would be death itself as well. The two didn't want a repeat of the year before.

Not in the slightest.

_**X**_

Edward was finally able to sit up. The simple task seemed mind-numbing and excruciatingly painful for the golden-eyed boy, every part of his flesh body ached and protested with every single movement he made.

To make things worse, Winry was coming.

It was like the universe was mocking him. Or more like, Truth was mocking him from the gate, with his stupid grin stuck on his see-through face. "Yeah." Muttered Ed, "That's probably it."

He also found that being alone in a blank room was no fun. His palm itched with the need to do alchemy, to knock boredom straight to its ass and chase it away. But Roy's threat of sending away Alphonse proved to beat his desire. He had a feeling Roy wasn't necessarily serious, but why would he take the chances? At best, Roy would most likely court-martial him, and then he'd lose his title, and most importantly, his access to the library.

So Edward took a liking to scowling at the ceiling, as boring as the rest of the room.

The least the sorry bastard could do was talk to him!

Edward was on the verge of drawing butterflies in the air with his finger when a knock sounded on the wooden door. He didn't say 'come in', knowing the person would just let themselves in anyhow.

And sure enough, the person did.

And to Ed's surprise, there was Mustang, holding a pile of paperwork in one of his large hands. "Mind if I stay in here for a while?"

The boy just nodded, scowl still firmly in place. "Working for a change?"

"Oh come on, Fullmetal. I . . . work."

Ed rolled his eyes and wrung out his wrist. "Yeah. Sure you do, bastard."

Roy didn't comment at the use of his little nickname, but settled down by the table in the corner. Ed glanced curiously over. "What's that for?"

"This?" Roy held up large manila folders. "They're files I have to go over for the new state alchemists. The test is coming up, you know."

"But doesn't that mean I have to . . . you know, get it reinstated?"  
Roy chuckled and un-capped an ink pen. "The Fuhrer was kind enough to let this count as our research materials for the year." As an afterthought he added, "Did you're _short_ attention span not catch that?"

Ed didn't so much as move at the comment, just rolled his eyes yet again and gave a sarcastic,"Ha ha. Very funny."

Roy moved his gaze from the papers and frowned. "Anything the matter?"

"No. Why would anything be 'the matter'? Bastard."

Roy shrugged, but his mind was reeling. What was going on with Edward that made him dismiss _short jokes_? _Nothing_ made Edward ignore short jokes, and dismiss them like they were nothing! So what was wrong with the boy? Roy was determined to find out. It was an itching feeling in his palms and fingertips. He just wanted his ignition gloves! Roy wanted nothing more than to _burn_ and _incinerate_.

"I'll be going." Roy straightened the pile of files on the desk, "That Rockbell girl will be here anytime now."

Ed groaned. "Fuck."

"Language." Roy chided.

"Bastard! There, is that better for you?"

The older man gave a short chuckle, and left the lonely boy to dive into his own thoughts. . .

_You should be there for your brother. You're the bastard. _Ed's mind scoffed indignantly at itself, "Not my fault, the Fuhrer made us come."

_Aren't you going to give it a bit more thought, Edo? He. . . The FUHRER sent you, and he knows about Alphonse. . . Get the pieces together. . ._

Edward rapped his knuckle against his temple. "Shut. Up."

Before his inner guilt could say anything more, a screaming echoed through the white walls. "WHERE IS HE?" He winced. _Shit_.

"Aaannd. . . Here comes the wrench."

Winry came rippling into the room with billowing rage rolling off her in waves. The wrench came right after, cracking his skull in two. Ed didn't even fight back, he just accepted what was coming to him, convinced he deserved it.

"HOW COULD YOU LEAVE YOUR BROTHER ALONG IN CENTRAL?" She shrieked, shaking out her bloody wrench, she scowled. "AND MY AUTOMAIL TOO? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

Edward kept his head down. "Sorry, Win."  
She glanced up, a bit horrified that Ed was apologizing to her. Winry shook her head and dragged up her tools. "Whatever. . . Let's just get on with the repairs."

Ed sighed and rolled onto his stomach, his arm outstretched sideways while Winry began to fiddle with the metal plates. "So how are things going?" Winry tried to make a light conversation, the room was already suffocating in despair as it was. She had a feeling it was hard for the alchemist without her brother, and she was starting to feel a bit guilty about yelling.

"Okay. . ." Ed mumbled. "Just fine."  
"Oh come on, Ed." Winry smiled softly as she took of a plate, but then scowled at the damage. "That's a lie and you know it."

He sighed. "I just miss Al, is all."

"Do you fit in here?"

He blinked at the question, knitting his eyebrows together, Ed answered. "No. Not really." As an afterthought he added, "But I'm fine with it. These kids are bratty. Just a whole bunch of pricks."

Winry raised an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten you're a kid yourself?"

Ed just grumbled a few more profanities and let Winry get on with her work, her mind was on fixing the bent wires, while Ed's was centered heavily on guilt.

_How could you do that to your own brother? You sicken me._

_**X**_

Leo stalked behind Sayler. "Hurry up!" He hissed.

"Shut it, tin-boy. Let me get on with the lock!"

"Hurry the fuck up!"

_SMACK!_

"OW! FUCK!"

Sayler elbowed him in the stomach. "Shush."

He obeyed, seething with rage. "Hurry!" He repeated. Sayler fiddled with her pin and held it up victoriously.

"There!"  
Leo gulped. "It still scares me how you can unlock these things so easily."

"It came in handy, didn't it?" Leo nodded dumbly and followed after Sayler into the 'empty' boys cabin, but the hushed whispering on the other side promised that someone else was there.

Quietly, they tip-toed around the corners and crept silently until they could hear no other than Joshua Decker. "Yeah. . ."

"So he's out of the game?" Another voice, definitely not a camper's, continued. It sounded a lot higher, and possibly sadistic.

Joshua stuttered for words. "U-uh n-n-no. . ."

"What do you MEAN no?" The voice shook with rage, and Leo blanched back. They couldn't get a good look at whoever wa talking, and another person joined the conversation.

This person had more of a laced and calm voice; like silk. "Hush now. Don't go scaring the boy. Where's the kid now?"  
"I-i-in the infi-infirmary."

"Good." The woman purred. "He'll work with us. No doubt."  
Leo's eyes widened. He _knew_ that voice. He knew it like the back of his hand. "We gotta go!" He felt tears burn the back of his eyes.

"What'dyo mean?" Sayler asked from the darkness.

He didn't try to hold int he tears, a sob shaking his shoulders. "Quick. . . before she hears us!"

"Who's _she_?"

"Someone that'll kill us if she finds us!"

They hurried out the door and bolted, Leo's eyes still brimming with tears.

When they were far away enough, he collapsed into a pile of leaves and clutched his arm to his chest. "Solaris." He hissed.

"She's here, Say. Solaris."  
"Who?"  
Leo gulped, and he was reminded that she didn't know. Sayler forgot. Trauma, the doctor said.

She remembered what she wanted to from the incident. . .

Solaris wasn't one of the things she did.

Leo put his head in his knees. _I need to protect her. I need to keep her safe._

Sayler was glad that when he raised his head, his eyes, though misted over, where shining with determination A cold breeze ruffled his hair, and his smile stuck out. "Don't worry 'bout it."

And he got to his feet. _I'm glad she can't remember what Solaris did to us._

They walked back to the campers, still shaken. _Where do we go from here_?

**_X_**

By night, Edward was allowed to go back to the cabins, and Winry left just hours before with a bloody wrench in her hand. He felt like he was walking on broken glass, everything was tormenting him to the point of madness, and his overturning guilt burned in the back of his throat like acid. It was turning his stomach and making it do flops on the inside.

He crawled into bed, not even minding the stares.

He was too tired to notice Joshua's calculating gaze, and the quiet glares he was getting.

He was too concerned with drifting off to sleep to notice that a small smirk crept its way on to his face, soon replaced by a gulp and pitying eyes. Edward was asleep, and it was time to take action.

**_X_**

A shriek.

A fucking shriek. Edward slept right through it.

He woke up with a bad headache and rolled off his bed with a laden sigh. His exhaustion was forgotten, and he felt something crunch beneath his feet.

A piece of paper.

He picked it up in his hands and unfolded it.

On it, was a little paragraph.

_'Edward, why didn't you save him? Did you notice his death when you were sleeping away and toiling in your world of slumber? Did you hear his screams as the night progressed? Did you find out? Feel guilty, Fullmetal. Because this is **all your fault. **He'll never see the light of day again. No more family, no more nothing. All because of little Fullmetal, who wasn't even strong enough to save a little boy.'_

The paper dropped from his fluttering fingertips.

Later that day, another male camper had been announced dead.

He had been murdered at the crack of dawn.

A certain Colonel isolated Edward from the group, and then proceeded to yell at him for his failure.

**AN It's so short! I'm sorry! In truth, I had a lot of time to get off my lazy but to do this, but I never had any muse. And then, when I did have time, I had to start studying for the CST's at my school. I'll actually try to get another update out soon. If I take too long, please please PLEASE just PM me to get going on it, keep my determined my fuzzy friends!**

**AND LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING! Yes, the Colonel might seem OOC in the next chapter, but please understand it's for a reason, okay? I have reasons.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again friends! I am pleased to announce I now have a beta reader! (It'll make sure I don't slack) And he/she is very awesome! Awesomenaruto is absolutely fab. Heh. I don't own fullmetal alchemist, we've established that. Yes... It's a shame, I know. And this update is coming to you while I'm listening to fma soundtracks. Did you know writing fma fics is really easy when listening to fma music? Well now you know!**

**The note isn't from Mustang, I thought I'd clear that up. You'll find out, though I bet most of you are already pointing fingers... But you'll probably be wrongish right. Who knows?**

**I STILL HAVE MY REASONS FOR MAKING ROY A DICK, so do not fret, my little readers. I'm prepared... maybe.**

**When we last left off... (remember Hughes is alive... I love him too much to make him nonexistent in the story... you'll see)**

_'Edward, why didn't you save him? Did you notice his death when you were sleeping away and toiling in your world of slumber? Did you hear his screams as the night progressed? Did you find out? Feel guilty, Fullmetal. Because this is__all your fault.__He'll never see the light of day again. No more family, no more nothing. All because of little Fullmetal, who wasn't even strong enough to save a little boy.'_

The paper dropped from his fluttering fingertips.

Later that day, another male camper had been announced dead.

He had been murdered at the crack of dawn.

A certain Colonel isolated Edward from the group, and then proceeded to yell at him for his failure.

...

Roy let the scowl on his face deepen. "You _idiot_!" He seethed, anger burning like fire in his eyes. "How could you _let this _happen?"

Ed leveled his gaze only for a second before slumping over and sighing. "Leave me alone."

To say the Colonel looked pissed would be an understatement. His rage was rolling off of him in waves. He deemed it necessary to yell at the teen even more than he already had. "You little _punk_! Fullmetal, I swear you'll never see the light of day when we get back to Central, I'll send Al to that lab and you'll _never see him again_. You _bastard_." Ed let his spirits sink further into despair. It was all true, all of it.

He let the man bring the banter even further than he already had.

"You're a worthless person Fullmetal! You get people _killed_, just because of your very existence!" Edward didn't know why, nor did he want to know why, the man's words felt like gun shots to his heart. Was it because he respected the Flame? No. Did he want to get close to the Flame? No. Whoever got close to the flame got burnt... Yet that was kind of like him. Whoever got close to Edward died, ran away, or got injured.

Nina.

Nina...

His father. Edward was convinced his father left because he didn't want him anymore, so he blamed himself for that... and the death of his Mother as well.

As Edward ticked off the people in his mind, Roy didn't stop yelling and shouting... He just wanted to _break _the boy, apparently. He was yelling so loudly the very birds were flying away in cawing flocks.

Hughes... Because of Ed, he was injured and almost lost his life. Thankfully, he had recovered, Ed still blamed himself, no surprise.

Alphonse. That sent a shudder down his spine as he drowned out the shouting in his left ear. All his fault. All of it. His brother couldn't feel, couldn't eat, couldn't _breathe_. He was like a puppet. _Alphonse must hate me_. That's why, he thought, he'd do anything, even die himself, if it meant his brother was safe.

So he blocked out the Colonel completely and walked onward. He still had to help Al, even if his stomach felt like it was twisting in knots from stress and worry. The camp had decided they couldn't send everyone home, so they'd upped the security and precautions.

Feeling very much like a piece of shit, Edward walked all the way to the indoor gym. He was in _no mood _to fuck around with balls and nets when he felt so guilty and terrible. He wanted to scrunch up into a ball and cry.

Cry and feel as worthless as he was.

Roy called over to him with another insult. "No one would care if you just _died _you brat! Do us all a favor!"

No tears shone in his eyes, but they were so dead he could have been buried six feet under himself. He walked dejectedly into the building with that heart wrenching pain deep within his heart, something even metal couldn't protect. Not even metal could hide the worst blows to his feelings.

_X_

When Riza saw Edward walk into the gym, she instantly knew something was wrong. Of course, after what happened, he wasn't going to be all sunshine and giggles. _Bei__ng Edward, he must blame himself_. She sighed and let her eyebrows furrow into a deep line._Poor boy_. She shook her head slowly to banish the thought to the back of her mind.

Almost all of the children were upset, though it wasn't much of a surprise.

The worst of them seemed to be the boy named Joshua Decker.

Even worse than Edward. His eyes were shaky and dead. Dead. Absolutely oblivious and blank with hatred and sadness, great fear visible in them too. He was sitting on the bleachers with his knees drawn to his chest. He was rocking back and forth, muttering incoherent nothings. She frowned, walking over to the boy with a straight back and a sympathetic frown.

"Are you okay?" She asked slowly, not knowing how unstable the boy was.

His eyes shot up fanatically to find the owner of the voice, but he relaxed visibly when he saw it was a counselor and not one of...them... not one of those monsters.

Joshua closed his eyes and wiped his clammy hands off on his pants. He nodded numbly, and before he could register anything else, he was pulled into a short half-hug. He gulped thickly. Why? Why was she comforting him? The boy... That boy would haunt his nightmares for years..._All my fault... blood everywhere... I'm tainted... Dirty. DIRTY!_He didn't let out a single sob. He just shrunk away from the body until Riza let him go.

She gave him a stern look. "Don't worry alright? Let the adults handle this. We'll find whoever's responsible."  
_It's me! It's me! I'm the killer! I just want to die!_

Betraying his thoughts, he strained a smile and nodded. She smiled back and left him with a small wave. He noticed that she was fingering her belt like she was feeling for something that wasn't there.

His new frown deepened. Who was she, really?

_**X**_

Roy walked into the gym with a small scowl. He'd just woken up, and he felt worse than shit. As soon as he'd awoken, he learned that someone had been killed, and he found it disturbing that he slept through it all.

He spotted that Joshua kid and a brown haired boy with a red haired girl. Weren't those Edward's friends? They spotted him and ran to Roy in three seconds flat. "Mr. Mustang!" The brown haired boy scowled. "I have to tell you something about Edward."

"Full- I mean, uh, Edward? What about him?"

"Remember when he was pushed off the cliff?"

Roy stopped, pedaling back. "Wait, pushed? Explain, please. Enlighten me."

Sayler blinked owlishly at his response. "Uh. It was Decker, sir..."

His eyes stayed impassive as he nodded. Again, Sayler felt a surge of unease enter her.

He wasn't reacting like she thought he would. It was like he didn't care about his son at all. It was like his son was just another burden on his back... One that only caused trouble.

But despite the mask, Roy felt his heart skip a beat. He suspected it but he never got the sentiment confirmed.

Shouting disturbed his perpetual thoughts. "You freak!" A few boys were gathering around a lump of gold and red. Ed.

He stayed silent, his eyes flickering a bit to the sadder side; his mouth creasing into a thin line. "Just die already!"

"You're a freak! Just like that other kid with automail! You're a monster!" Leo shrugged beside him. He got that a lot.

A few girls tried to pry off the boys. "Don't bully our Edo-kun you jerks!"

"Leave him alone! Please!" A few girls pleaded with the taller - and stronger - boys. They shrugged them off and continued their onslaught, one boy with slicked black hair shoving Ed in the side.

"Let us see it!" They commanded ruthlessly. "Let's see that tin hunk, cliff-boy!"

Roy's frown deepened considerably as he contemplated on stopping the fight. But what was worrying him was that Edward wasn't responding or retaliating. That was very unlike him. Ed's face stayed impassive, but Roy saw through it. He wondered how much trouble that automail had ever gotten him into; how many days he wished for it to just disappear. He wondered if Ed ever thought about how he's survived. The boy was pessimistic when it came to his automail, to say Roy was envious would be a lie. He knew how much it hurt, he'd heard stories about it.

So why was it that the boy who'd gone through so much seemed to go dead to the world when his life stood still? Why couldn't the boy settle down? He knew that until his brother got his body back there was no way that was happening, he would keep going and going.

He had one leg and an automail pair. Two good legs he could get up and walk with. He could explore, while Mustang was stuck in an office and behind a thick old desk.

Roy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, something he only did when he was stressed to the point of insomnia. HE glanced up through his fingers at the children again. He was about to go stop the fight, but he selfishly wanted to see how Ed dealt with it.

"Why'd you get automail? Because you're _momma _thought it would make 'ya tougher?"

He stiffened. Edward relayed that action, his eyes bubbling over with fury.

"Or was she just some skanky little bitc-" The kid never got to finish his sentence before a flesh fist collided with his face. "Fuck!"

Edward swiveled around to glare heatedly at the bullies. "Be happy I was gracious and didn't use my '_tin hunk_'."

"Nobody would miss you if you just died!" one of the bullies cried out victoriously. "Go kill yourself, punk-ass!"

Roy stepped up, feeling protective._No one _should _ever _feel obliged to kill themselves, Roy knew first-hand what stress could do to a man. And more, what it could do to a kid. "Hey!" He shouted, "What's going on here?"

The kid's froze like children being caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "Oh, uh, hello. Mr. Mustang."

"Don't '_hello_' me! Why were you bullying my son?" Roy scowled at the kids and watched in satisfaction as they seemed to shrink under his glare.

"Scram."

They were all gone in a heartbeat.

Roy reached out to touch Ed's shoulder tentatively. "You okay?" Edward shrugged off his hand and walked towards a far corner of the gym.

"It's true," Ed said, not aware Roy was overhearing him. "No one would miss me." He sighed and rubbed his automail shoulder in relaxing circles. "Too bad I can't do that to Al. . . I'll just get his body back, yeah. Then, I'll be out of his life, and he can stop pretending to like me and start hating me like he should."

Roy frowned, watching his retreating back in silence. He was sure Ed didn't know that he was listening.

Edward's mental state almost scared him.

The kid could do flip-flops. He could be happy, sad, determined, or straight up pissed. And all of that could change with a word. Usually, it fluctuated between pissed and determined, but here was a sight Roy hadn't seen since his trip to Resmebool all those years ago. A sad, depressed Edward Elric with no more fire in his eyes.

They'd been snuffed before. Lead after lead he'd keep going for the sake of his brother.

He wondered how many failures the kid could take before he broke down. Roy wouldn't be surprised if he was crying already. He shook his head to dismiss the thought.

Edward didn't cry.

He was emotionless, right?

Even that lie sounded pitiful in his mind when he tried to convince himself. Ed was a human being. Roy would be damned if he let him go on like this. He tugged on the hem of his counselor shirt and helped out with the daily activities.

Roy couldn't even conceal the exhaustion evident in his eyes. When he glanced back to where Edward was supposed to be, there was just a dark corner with dark concealing shadows. No blond head was present.

His worry escalated._Why am I so frazzled about this? He's just my subordinate._

A little voice in Roy's head whispered,_But you want more._

He shook his head sadly. Maybe he did, but Fullmetal was too stubborn of a person to listen to his pleas. Sometimes, he confessed to himself that he wanted to be Edward's father, to replace the shitty one he already had.

But he had a bit more to worry about, so he put Edward to the back of his mind.

It was one of the worst things he could have done.

_**X**_

Sayler and Leo waited outside of the gym for Edward.

"What d'you think's wrong with him?" Leo tilted his head and scratched the nape of his neck.

"I have an idea," Sayler said. "He's been acting like this ever since that boy. . . was killed. And then there's that woman you encountered, Solaris, was it?" Leo flinched at her name but nodded all the same.

"Well maybe they're connected. Last summer there was that incident with the counselor and that other kid, then that girl. Maybe all of this is like a piece to a bigger plot." Sayler twisted hair around her fingers in thoughtful contemplation. "Maybe Edward's involved as well."

Leo raised an eyebrow, worry etched on his features like a plague. "That would be bad."  
"Can you tell me who this Solaris woman is? The black haired lady with the big knockers?"

The boy went pale as he shook his head solemnly. "No. I can't do that. You'll have to remember on your own."

She frowned, but didn't ask anymore. Sayler didn't understand, and that was a first. She read situations like books, but this one was too complicated for her liking.

"Just stay on guard," he warned. "You never know when she'll strike," Leo warned.  
"Then let's tell an adult!" Sayler argued.  
Leo scowled at his feet. "No. Trust me. It'll only raise the death count."

They lapsed into silence, not noticing Edward had slipped out of the back entrance to the gym and was running to the phone lobby.

_**X**_

Ed ran as fast as he could to the phones. He needed to call Al. He _needed _to. His stomach was turning in knots and he needed to make sure Al was safe. He skidded to a stop in front of the two doors that led to the lobby and flung them open.

He dialed the number he knew served for the military's line.

_"Colonel Roy Mustang's office."_

"H-Havoc? It's me. Is Alphonse with you?"

The static crackled out a response._"Yeah. Edward, are you alright?"_

"Fine," he ground out. "Can I just talk to him?"

Havoc paused for a second, and then called the younger to the phone._"Hello?"_

Edward sagged in relief. His tense shoulders slumped and he let out a content sigh. "Oh. Hey Al. You doing okay?"

_"Yeah!_" The chipper voice of his brother concluded, _"But I really miss you brother." _A nagging voice in Edward's brain told him that his brother was lying._He hates you. He'd rather die than be your brother._

"Me too, Al." Ed was trying to make sure his voice wouldn't crack, and was barely succeeding.

_"Brother, have you made any friends? How's the assignment going? Are you almost done there?"_

Ed gave a small chuckle at his baby brother's antics. "Yeah, I guess. It's. . . going alright." He lied. "And we're almost done." Another lie.

_"Oh, alright then,_" Al wasn't completely convinced that everything was as great as his older brother made it out to be, but there was nothing he could really do about it. _"Don't kill the Colonel, okay Brother?"_

Ed quirked a small grin. "Alright. Bye Alphonse."

The line went dead. Ed sighed and put it back on the receiver. He was sure things were only going to get worse from that point on.

His guess was proved right when Roy forcefully bumped into him as soon as he left the lobby. "Worthless brat."  
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Edward felt useless. He felt morbid. But most of all, he felt pissed. He felt so _angry _at the colonel. He wanted to scream, to punch, to _kill _the guy. Because Roy Mustang caused him so much _pain_; something he was familiar with, but disliked all the same.

Roy gave him his signature smirk and was on his way.

**AN Okay, this'll be my last update for the week. My CST week is starting tomorrow, and I'm stressed enough as it is. Sorry, but I have to focus on these so I get in some AP classes for High School. In 7th grade, our testing scores count for High school placement. So if I screw it up, I'll get knocked down from honors and into normal classes. SO AAYAYAYAAYYAY! GOT TO STUDDDY! (Too bad I know I'm not even going to study for like five minutes)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all of the reviews! And thank you to awesomenaruto... **_**she**_** is great. I don't own fullmetal alchemist. *sob sob* And I'm really happy with the feedback for this story. *le gasp* So many reviews, follows, and favorites! I feeel so looooved! Um, okay this week after the CSTs I started on my quest to reread and re-watch fullmetal alchemist. I even got a guy-friend of mine obsessed with it. Two weeks ago he declared "I'll never like fma, it's not my style"**

**Today he's texted me saying "Ed is so awesome" "I'm obsessed" "Roy's such a dick in your story" And so on, so on. How I love to prove people wrong~! I have corrupted yet another soul~ Happy day!**

**Song for writing this chapter? Such horrible things by Creature Feature xD and Dango Daizoku (really cute song X) and then Sign from Naruto.**

**I'm happy people like my writing, when I'm older I'm thinking of becoming a writer, but I'm only 13, so there's a lot of room for changing my mind. Oh, and the factthatI need to improve, because frankly, I don't really like my writing style.**

**SapphireClaw- Go you! Kicking people in the jewels, nice. XD I'm not violent by nature, but I go and take martial arts, and I accidentally kicked someone in the nuts before. The poor guy crumpled up and cried.**

**Victorious-Mind- don't worry, of course Roy is OOC, but I have a reason! ^^ Poor Ed, he must feel like shit. Sometimes I doubt my sanity, and other times I seriously think I'm a sadist. But *shrug* I blame the internet... meh.**

**I'm not proud of this chapter... at all... but eh.**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

_**Water**_

Edward took a liking to his sleepless nights.

They were like little spaces of sanctuary where he was no longer plagued by his ever-lasting nightmares. He didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to face his newest nightmare. Ed was perfectly content in spending his nights alone in the dark.

After his call to Alphonse, he made sure to call him every night before 'going to bed'. Though it made Ed's burden lighter, it only made Alphonse more worried about his older brother. Sometimes, Al thought he'd crack under the pressure of his job.

Five days after the incident, Edward decided to suck up his guilt and find out who was responsible for the death of that boy.

The morning was solemn and quiet, the only other noise besides Ed, being the rattling of the wind against leaves. He rubbed his mismatched hands against each other for a vain hope of warmth; it was cold out, dew clinging to the mossy grass and the unperturbed trees. Everything was still, like a picture locked in everlasting silence: from the nipping bite of the cold to the creeping chill of the rolling wind.

Ed shook his head. It was his job to help out here, and he neglected that duty for nearly a week. He played the 'guilt ridden little boy' for too long, so setting his posture into something more dignified, he sniffed and walked through the fallen leaves and gnarled roots with as much stealth as he could muster. No creature besides himself lurked in the shadowing forest, the birds were asleep, the squirrels were high up in the trees, but a certain Fullmetal was trailing the ground and skirting trunks with defying balance and calm.

The calm was a lying façade, because who wouldn't be a bit afraid of the outcome of the process? He was facing an unknown enemy; someone could pop out at any moment with a rifle in hands, or alchemy at the ready, poised to kill. Being calm in that situation would be out of the question, and of course, nearly impossible.

Even the Flame would most likely banish serenity at a time like this.

Ed shook his head again - he seemed to be making a habit of that - and wrung his hands somewhat nervously before steadying himself. Why was he thinking about the _bastard _at a time like this? Why is it that Ed felt something like_hurt_when Roy had been so rude to him?

For the five days since he had first called Al, Roy had been increasingly rude, and increasingly nice to him. At one moment, he'd be calling him a "worthless orphan" and another he'd be asking "how his day was going". He was stumped. Edward never really guessed someone could be so damn bipolar.

Even Ed knew something was up, but he couldn't stop that twinge from appearing in his chest when he was insulted and ridiculed.

The same went for when Riza tried to confront him (somewhat) and asked him what was wrong. Of course, she_had_been threatening him to tell her what was up, but her concern almost deteriorated his resolve. Didn't she blame him too?

Ed knew for certain that everyone else would've if they knew of his military rank. He was the "Hero of the People" so he should have been_protecting _all the teens, not ignoring them and tending to his own problems!

His mind crossed into thinking about Decker._That_guy was his main suspect. At first glance, the kid looked like he had too many skeletons in his closet, and it was confirmed. But Ed also knew that one child couldn't do so much damage and make the councilors so concerned. Oh no, no, no. Someone - or_some people_-were helping the kid meet whatever sick goal he was aiming for.

Ed jumped when he heard rustling.

Darting for the secure shadows of a nearby oak, he poked his head from behind with a dark scowl. He was_sure_that he had heard something. He was one-hundred-percent sure. Looking down, Ed was saddened to see he had been afraid of a rat. A rat with purple-red eyes and matted green fur. He blinked at it then approached it slowly.

"Fuck! It was just a rat!" He let a few wry chuckles escape his lips. He'd been afraid of a_rat_!

The 'rat' looked up at him and_sneered_before taking off under a bramble thicket. Ed continued on his way, hearing more noise coming from behind him almost instantly. He stole a glance over his shoulder and bolted.

He'd seen eyes through the margins of branches. He'd been_seen_. Whether it had been a councilor or not did not bother him, but he'd been_seen_. Silver-grey eyes were peeking at him. What would happen if the person decided to tattle on him?

Ed took a shaky breath, his heart thudding. Leaves crunched behind him and he spun around... to see...

His little brother?  
Al looked at Ed with a smile on his _human _face. "Brother!"

"A-Al?" Ed didn't trust his voice. He was imagining this! He had to be! It was _all _a dream!

"Yeah, who else?"

"H-how'd you _get _here!? And how...? Your body!" Ed almost gave his brother a hug. He rushed forward, but was stopped when Al raised a gun.

"Stop right there, Brother."  
"A-Alphonse!?"

A cocky grin adorned his little brother's face. "I don't need you anymore," he said. "Now that I have my body, I don't need you anymore."

Traitor tears broke through Ed's exterior. "Al," he whimpered. "What d'you mean? We've... we've been together all this time and I-"  
"And I what?" Al broke in, mimicking Ed's voice. "Isn't it obvious? I _used _you." His grin stretched into a full-blown smirk.

And he pulled the trigger.

Ed woke up, his back on hard roots. His eyes darted around, petrified. He'd fallen asleep outside? When?

He rose to his feet and dusted off his leather pants. With a sigh, he cracked his knuckles. That moment was one among the first times Ed had been truly afraid. _What if Al _is_ using me?_

He shook his head. If Al was using him, then he was sure his heart would have broken. But then, he would have deserved it. Ed believed after what he was making his brother go through, he would've deserved every punishment the younger could ever have planned for his insolence.

He half-hobbled half-walked back to the cabins, the memory of his brother's fingers curled around the trigger still fresh in his mind.

While exiting the forest, Ed failed to notice a small transmutation circle etched on to a nearby tree. Ed didn't accomplish anything that morning, he only succeeded in worrying himself even further.

The seed of doubt had been planted.

* * *

A dark-haired woman patted Joshua on the head like one would a puppy. "Good work, that dream was a worthy one."

Decker scowled at his clenched fist. "It was simple..." he said, "a really basic transmutation."

"Your talents never cease to amaze me, runt." The voice came from the Colonel's look-alike, shape shifting to a green-haired menace soon after he spoke.

The cross-dressing palm tree crossed his arms over his chest and sauntered to Joshua. "So, when are we doin' this, _Solaris_?" He used the name mockingly as his eyes grew crazed.

Lust wagged her finger. "When the Fuhrer tells us it's time. That won't be for a while, Envy."

Joshua flinched. These people were crazy, evil, and horrible. He didn't want anything to do with them.

Lust glanced back at Joshua."You have no choice." She reminded him. "If you try anything, we'll kill you-know-who."

He shrugged Envy off his shoulder. "I know..." he mumbled, "I'll do whatever."

"Lust!" The fat one said lovingly. "When shall I eat, my Lust?"

"Not now, Gluttony." Lust chided. "Wait a bit longer, your next victim is sure to arrive soon enough..."

"Thank you Lust!" The fat one said happily, his stomach growling. "I'm hungry!"

Joshua turned to take his leave, but Lust stopped him. "You do know who that boy is, don't you?"

His curiosity peaked, and he glanced over his shoulder. "Ed?"

"He's an alchemist too."

Joshua nodded. He understood. Edward Mustang wasn't a Mustang at all. He was the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric.

The sun was rising high in the sky, and he had more work to do.

But first, he needed to meet up with another one of his associates.

* * *

The day dragged on.

Roy Mustang woke up to the sunlight streaming through his cracked blinds. He blinked and rolled off of the scratchy wool sheets and ducked from the sun. "Dammit," he growled. "Who turned on the lights?"

Riza was standing by the window.

Roy locked eyes with her and scowled. "So _you're _the one who wanted to wake me up, Lieutenant." He stared at her for a moment before turning away.

"Sir? You slept in."

Roy immediately hopped to his feet and strode to his wardrobe. Riza's face lit up like a tomato - bright red. "What?" He asked.

"Please make yourself decent," she said.

Right after, Riza gulped audibly and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Roy, still being drowsy, blinked wearily. "What was that?" He looked down, and finally understood why she was blushing.

He was wearing nothing but his underwear.

Roy snickered softly before getting dressed and dawning more of a relaxed and serious expression. They had work to do. He had to have a talk with Edward and Riza. There was only so much time until there was another victim to this madness.

He took two long strides from his wardrobe and was out the door, into the blazing afternoon sun. "Shit, I guess the Lieutenant was right. I _did _sleep in." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned.

It was going to be a long day, he could feel it in the air.

* * *

Ed had gone to the Mess right before breakfast. It seemed like no one had even noticed he was gone, which was good news for him. He didn't want to gain any unwanted attention, and he definitely didn't want to blow his cover.

Surely, being on the prowl before dawn _could _count as suspicious.

Leo and Sayler were there to greet him.

"Hey dude." Leonard clapped him over the shoulder while Sayler studied him, evident suspicion written on her visible features.

"Hey," Ed responded, not as enthusiastic about having to interact with others of the human species.

"You haven't slept for days, have you?" Sayler lifted a questioning eyebrow, ever the smarter.

Ed just shrugged and snapped back, "So what if I haven't? It's none of your business!"

Leo frowned. "She's just trying to be a good friend-"

Sayler bit her lip and touched Leo's shoulder. Her eyebrows were creased and her mouth was in a thin line. Leo instantly shut up and put on another one of his trade-mark grins. "So Ed, what's up?"  
"The... sky?" Ed frowned. What kind of question was that?

"No, I mean how have ya been?"

"Oh." They shuffled absently over to the line, each grabbing trays and proceeding to fill their plates. Sayler took in all the food on Ed's.

"Jesus, Edward, you eat like a cow!"

He scowled at the word 'cow', and muttered something suspiciously close to 'secreting mammal'. Some things never change.

They settled down at a far-cornered table, digging into their meals almost immediately. "Gosh," Leo mumbled out. "Today we have to go swimming."

Ed dropped his fork and it clattered to his plate.

"Something wrong?" Leo thought for a moment, "Oh don't worry, we're automail buddies, remember? Don't let these pissy teenagers get to you."

Ed shook his head. They didn't know about his leg. They didn't know. _He'd be an even bigger outcast_.

Riza and Roy were nowhere in sight, so he couldn't think up an excuse. Edward couldn't fake sick, and he had no way to get out of the 'game'. If he ditched, people might start suspecting him.

He sighed resignedly.

They all headed out to the lake, out into the searing heat of summer.

Each second was agonizingly slow. People passed in a blur as they made the short walk to the lockers. Some girls gave the boys envious looks. _They _wanted to watch Edo change!

He ignored them, stepping into the cool and damp confinement of the changing lockers.

It took him nearly ten minutes to change because his automail leg kept snagging on the shorts. He _really _didn't want to do this... His body was littered with scars. He was _ugly_.

Ed stepped into the light and heard muttering gasps.

"Shit."

Some girls squealed. "He is so HOT!" While boys muttered among themselves, "My mother told me only delinquents got automail..."

Ed ignored them all and made his way to the lakeside. He couldn't swim, either. Things just kept getting better and better.

He watched in monotonous interest as everyone came out of the lockers - both male and female. Ed was wearing black shorts, the material nice and loose. He got stares, many, many stares, but he found a way to tune out their perpetuating glances; by averting his attention to the sky.

It was a bright blue, like the lake they were beside, glistening with clouds and rays of light.

His peace was, of course, interrupted.

"Hey!"

He turned his head, complete and utter fury rolling off of him in billowing waves. "What!?"

It was Joshua. "Big fucking surprise..." Ed muttered.

Decker raised a hand, "Calm down there, shorty."

Ed ground his teeth together. _Restraint... Restraint..._Joshua was lucky Ed wasn't in the mood to give him another bloody nose. He just cursed and mumbled a quick "piss off" before turning his attention back to the sky. It really was beautiful... Kind of like Resembool. You never saw clear skies like this in Central. The air was too thick with pollution at night to see the stars, and during the day it was never this bright and azure.

Joshua 'ahemed' like he was demanding an audience. "Hello? Mustang?" He knew Ed's real last name..._Just keep the act a little while longer._

Ed acknowledged him with a short "hn"

Joshua did _not _want to do this... "Hey freak! Stand up and face me, you ass!"

"What did you call me?" Ed's fury quadrupled as he rose to his feet, automail glinting and blinding a few gaping girls.

"An ass! Or didn't you hear me?"

Tom was standing off by a tree, watching the exchange with a bit of a smirk... What fools.

* * *

Riza waited outside of the cabin for Roy, her face still flushed all the way to her ears. She just never realized how _fit _Roy looked under his shirt... She shook her head and straightened her shoulders. It wouldn't do any good to act like some sort of love-sick school girl...

She sighed.

When had things become so complicated?

Roy staggered out, mumbling about how he overslept, and ran straight into the Lieutenant. "Oh, sorry." He straightened his shirt and shot Riza an apologetic glance. He didn't mean to smack right into her side.

Riza smiled before shaking her head dismissively. "It's fine, Sir."

"Roy," he corrected her. "Call me Roy. We're not in the office... Riza."

She smiled and led the way to the day's activity spot, leaving Roy speechless. Since _when _did the Hawk's Eye _smile _like that?

He smiled too, following his Lieutenant to the lake.

He stopped walking. "The lake..."

Riza looked over her shoulder to see Roy just standing on the path."Roy?" The name sounded foreign on her lips. "What's the matter?"

He glanced up, a brief flash of fear growing evidence in his dark blue eyes. "Fullmetal can't swim...Ed can't..." He took off into a sprint, leaving a bewildered Riza in his wake.

She took off after him.

Maybe he wasn't concerned without a reason.

What if someone decided to try something with the young alchemist? She bit the inside of her lip. This was not good.

Ed was watching everyone swim, Leo by his side. The brown-haired boy was kicking his feet in the water. "This _suckkkks_!" He whined childishly, a smile pulling at his lips tentatively, "We can't even _swwwwiiiiimmmmm_."

"Excuse me, but I rather not be pulled to the bottom of the lake..." Ed touched his automail arm and pulled it to his chest. "What's so good about swimming, anyway? It's just splashing and kicking!"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Swimming used to be my favorite sport, you know. I used to get medals and trophies..." he watched the playing teens and held up his automail flimsily. "But then I got _this_."

"When was that?"

"About a year ago." Leo smirked. "And you?"

Ed almost slipped off the water-bank and into the lake. A _year_? _Like me_.

"When I was eleven..." he paused and licked his lips. "My childhood friend is my mechanic."

Leo wiggled his eyebrows playfully, "You mean that pretty blonde chick?" After a quick sigh, he revealed, "My _mom _is my mechanic. I absolutely hate how she goes on and _on _about me taking care of it!"

"Hey," Ed said. "Be grateful, alright?"

"But she's such a pain! I mean, I'm old enough to make my own damn decisions!"

Ed snapped. "Be grateful you _have _a parent!"

Leo simmered, "Alright, alright, calm down dude. If it makes you that peeved."

The alchemist's shoulder slumped. "How'd you lose your arm?" He knew he was treading into dangerous territory, but quite frankly, he didn't care. So he was surprised when Leo answered him.

"Last year at the camp there was a bit of an... incident." He gave a nervous chuckle and held his automail wrist. "Well, I can't really describe what happened, but Sayler lost her eyesight in one eye because of it, too. And you?"

"I'd rather not say... It was just an accident."

"Ah."

Ed heard Roy call his name.

He turned around so quickly he lost his seat by the lake and plunged straight down into the chilling water.

The water pushed him down from all sides in a rage of surging water, and tugging around him as he sank into depths unknown. The more he struggled the more disoriented he got. Up, down, left right, nothing made any sense anymore...

He pushed with his arms and legs but he could find no leverage; for all he knew he was pushing himself further down.

Ed's breath was painfully stuck in his throat, he gasped, water flooding in, making him choke. More and more water made its way into his mouth during his violent hacking session. His lungs burned for more air and even though he knew he would get none, his body still took another breath. Cold water filed through and blood pounded behind his eyes.

_Dammit! What about Al!?_

His automail was so damn heavy! It pulled him one way, then another. His flailing did nothing but make him sink faster. Desperation clawed at his heart when he reached with his flesh hand to the light bubbling from above.

A shadow.

A shadow was moving toward him, but everything was getting blurry, the walls were caving in on his world. He wanted out, but first he had to fight the torrent of pain barreling over him. He reached up, but grabbed nothing.

He hoped whoever was there would save him.

* * *

As soon as Roy saw Edward fall into the lake, he jumped in after him with a few strangled curses. He kicked off his shoes and dove head-first into the frigid water.

Where was Ed?  
He looked frantically, his eyes burning and his chest aching.

Roy went back up for air.

Riza was by the bank. "Find him now, Roy! Or I'll shoot you as soon as I get my hands on some heavy artillery!"

He took the threat seriously, and dove back under with a heavy gulp of air.

He saw Ed. He _saw _him!

The boy was sinking deeper, limbs tangling with cloth and metal. Bubbles wiggled up to the surface as soon as his mouth opened.

_He's swallowing the water!_

Roy swam deeper and deeper, his mind reeling at unfathomable thoughts. _What if I'm too late?_

He abandoned the morbid idea and gripped an automail hand with his own. Ed was heavy, but Roy was strong. He used every bit of strength he could muster and began to kick up to the world above. He desperately wanted to save this boy, no matter what.

Ed was rude.

Roy kicked up.

The blond was stubborn.

They were getting closer to the surface.

Damn! Fullmetal was atrociously obnoxious!

Air was just another second away.

The kid was a bane to the Flame's existence!

His head breached the water and he took in as much air as he could. Ed was over his shoulder, peacefully unconscious.

_Or dead_.

Roy rushed to shore, hauling him over his back and onto the grass.

His face scrunched up distastefully but he had no time to think about it. He'd have to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation...On Edward Elric. But to save a life, Roy would do anything within his power.

Mustang was known for being protective over his subordinates...

He turned Ed's head to the side, water trickling from his mouth and nose and dangerously fast speeds. Once it was out, he turned the boy face-up and glanced at Riza. He was uncomfortable, but didn't care. Roy wasn't about to let his youngest charge die.

Mustang was known for being protective over his _youngest _subordinate...

Roy pinched Ed's nose and gulped before breathing into his mouth. One, two, three, four.

Mustang had shielded the boy from so many horrors...

He paused to put his ear to Ed's mouth. There wasn't a pulse or a breath coming from him. He tried again. One, two, three, four.

Mustang made sure he never gave the brothers life-threatening missions.

Roy stopped again to listen. "DAMN!" There wasn't any sign of life emitting from him. Everyone watching nearby jolted at his loud voice. Murmuring broke out. One, two, three, four.

Mustang would be sent to hell if he ever let the kid die.

He listened for a single breath. It was weak, but the faint breathing tickled his ear and he looked at Riza with a confirming but weak nod. She sighed and smoothed her hair down.

Ed hacked and turned on to his stomach.

He was alright. "Fuck..." Roy muttered, "You sure do like to scare people, Edward."

**DONT KILL ME I was a bit late with this chapter! I'm sorry if Roy's a bit OOC, but really, would he just stand by "Oh look, Fullmetal's drowning." Or would he dive in after him? I think he would've. And I'm also sorry for switching the POVs so often, the next chapters won't be so like this one... But it had to be done. And I'm trying to ease the parental jazz into the story, not just *BAM ED STARTS CRYING AND ROY'S THERE TO HELP***

**Ohhh Joshua's an alchemist, eh? Another thing that had to be done. Don't worry, he hasn't done the taboo either. I hate when OCs do human transmutation... blehk**

**And I'm not sure if Ed got the automail at 10 or 11, so correct me if I was wrong when I said 11. **

**Thank you once again awesomenaruto, for dealing with my abhorrent grammar skills! ;) And for reassuring me on some things n stuff.**

**Review and make my day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I really wonder why I'm doing this to myself. I ignore the fact I need to write for days, and then when I have to, I rush. *sigh* I need to learn time management. Grrr.**

**I don't own FMA, it belongs to a cow (I don't mean that offensively)**

**This chapter is coming to you from my 'Bat Cave', AKA my dark bedroom of seclusion.**

**I can't go through all the reviews to answer them, but I'm so glad people are happy with the story! ^u^ I feel so loved XD**

**Uhhh, I still feel really awkward about the whole 'Ed was drowning thing' but oh well... AY... (****私、ばかみたい。****)**

**And f . tastarossa - I'm sure you write just fine, or are at least decent X) I just practice and write so much that I'm a bit better than most people my age. *Most* being the key word there. But the bad thing? I have slight carpal tunnel in my right wrist... Ow. It's hell to write each chapter, but... *sigh again* It doesn't help that I'm learning Japanese let me tell you. At school, sometimes I accidentally start writing in it and I'll hand in my paper... My teachers get so mad at me T_T And for more info, just pm awesomenaruto or something, she can help~**

**Thank you to awesomenaruto, you should check her out! She deals with my detestable grammar skills~! That's what I call TALENT! I mean, I have some really horrible parts were I look back and just "dafuq?" **

**Sorry if I confused you, pm me if I did.**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

_**What is a Father?**_

Roy looked back to the sleepless form on his bed for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. Ed looked anything but peaceful, his face marred into the very look of desperation and fear. His hands were gripping the white sheets below him with such force, Roy was afraid he'd rip them.

Sweat was dripping down his neck, down his nose, and down his arms. It was like the kid could shed gallons of the stuff without losing any bodily liquids. But what worried him the most - _yes _the Colonel could worry - was what Ed was mumbling.

He gulped and wiped his clammy hands down onto his pants, just watching Ed writhe made him want to hug him.

"Don't hate me... Please don't hate me Al... I'm sorry..."

Oh, for the love of everything, Roy wanted to help his youngest charge.

"I said I'd get your body back... M'... Alphonse... forgive me!"

Roy's heart clenched, and he couldn't tell what the feelings inside of him were. There was pity, but he tried to drive it back. He knew Ed hated pity. Then there was sadness. Sadness for what he couldn't protect this boy from. And then finally, he felt remorse. Remorse that he didn't realize that the alchemist before him was plagued by such demons.

He thought he was the only one with nightmares like this.

Roy had ones about Ishbal, and apparently, Edward had a crippling fear too.

He glanced around the room, everything tossed in disarray like always. It seemed like the Colonel was a messy person; his suitcase was open with clothes hanging out, his desk littered with paperwork he hadn't bothered to finish, and his floor was covered with dirty laundry. Roy shook his head bleakly and focused back on to the twisting boy on the sheets.

Right after the escapade by the lake, Riza had _insisted _that Roy just _had _to take Fullmetal back to the cabins with him. Ignoring his pleas for mercy, Riza had demanded he listen for once.

So here they were, Flame and Fullmetal, in a dark room, in the middle of the night.

Roy was surprised how quiet the teen had been while he had slept, but now, in the depths of night, he was thrashing in horror, seeing something Roy could only hoped to never see himself.

"No... Mom... Nina... Gah..." Ed brought his flesh hand to him mouth and clamped down on his palm, muffling what was sure to have been a blood-curdling screech. It came out withered and shaky, sad and sorrowful.

His hand fell limp to his side, only to tense only seconds later.

"So sorry... I really tried... Mmmm... No, stop! I'm really, _really _sorry!"  
When traitor tears finally escaped from under closed eyelids, Roy finally broke from his musings to wake up his subordinate.

He lent over, reaching a soft hand to shake the automail shoulder. "Fullmetal," he called, "wake up."

There was no response directly to the older, somehow, his voice only etched a deeper look of pain on Ed's face.

"No Colonel! Stop! NO! I SAID STOP!" Ed was screaming, yelling, sobbing. Sobbing for something. Only with his next sentence did realization dawn on the Colonel.

"Don't! Don't you dare send him away! He's my brother! He's all I have and you're going to _take him away_?"

The lab, Roy realized. It had been an empty threat when Roy had said that, but apparently Ed saw it as no bluff.

Dropping the military labels, Roy pulled Ed into a sitting position forcefully and shook him harshly. "_Edward _wake up! You're dreaming, dammit!"

Ed's eyes flickered open like a spark was lit behind them and he scuttled backwards in surprise. "Colonel?" he glanced at Roy and then brought his hand up to his face, a mixed look of regret and frustration clouding his features when it came back wet.

"Huh," he said softly, "it looks like I was crying... Don't know why though." Ed looked back at the Colonel with a soft snort. "You must think I'm such a fool."

"Why's that?" Roy's question was based off pure curiosity. He laced his fingers together.

"Because..." Edward drew his knees to his chest and heaved a sigh. "I always dwell on the stupidest things..." he sniffed, rubbing his tear-stained face. "I'm an idiot who only lives to correct his own mistakes."

Something akin to anger flared up in the Flame alchemist's eyes. "What are you trying to say, Edward?"

Ed suppressed a smirk, letting a small smile grace his lips. "Sometimes I think the world would have been better off without me. Al wouldn't have become a suit of armor, and that _bastard _wouldn't have left us."

The bastard? Roy thought for a moment, their father.

Another surge of unadulterated rage coursed through the raven haired male's veins. He gripped Ed by the collar and pulled him up to meet his eyes. "Don't you _ever _think that."

"But it's true!" Ed growled, trying in desperation to claw off the hand. "All of it's fucking true!"

"It's not, Edward! I may not know the whole story, but this isn't entirely your fault! Dammit!"

"Get off me, you bastard!" Another traitor tear he tried to hold back rolled down his cheek and plopped to the sheets below. Roy froze, as did Ed. Fingers slipped from his collar, Ed sliding back to meet the pillow with a disgruntled grunt.

"You're not a fool," Roy assured slowly, "you're not, not at all."

"Oh yeah? How can you be _sure_, bastard?"

Roy rubbed his face. "Don't call me that!" he groaned, "Short little midget!"

Ed didn't lash out, he rolled on to his side and huffed.

"What? No response to that, half-pint?" Roy quipped indifferently, watching for any fire within the golden eyes.

"Not short." The response sounded automatic, like he was a machine.

Roy changed the topic. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Your nightmare..." Roy scratched the nape of his neck nervously. He was treading on broken glass, one wrong step and he was screwed.

Ed scowled at nothing in particular. "What are ya? My psychiatrist?"

"You have a psychiatrist?" Roy raised an eyebrow, the sarcasm was weak.

"Bastard," was the gruff and simple reply.

Roy knitted his eyebrows together. "It might make you feel better..." He drawled, tilting his head to the ceiling. Now he was _really _pushing it.

It was a long and silent minute before he heard any response. The usually angry and violent teenager took a shaky breath. "I know..."

If you would've blinked, you would've missed it, but Roy smiled. It wasn't a trademark 'Maes Smile', but it was there all the same.

Ed's boisterous attitude came back in a flash. "Well I'm getting some shut eye, Colonel Bastard."

"But it's my bed!" Roy protested.

"Sleep on the couch!" And just like that, everything was silent once more. Ed was sleeping quietly while Roy looked distastefully to the very uncomfortable looking couch in the corner.

He was in for a sleepless night with nightmares of fire, sand, blood, and the people he had killed.

Oh joy.

He glanced back at the semi-peaceful look on Ed's face, probably the happiest he had looked since separating from his brother. Roy raked a hand through his hair and shrugged nonchalantly.

It was worth it.

_**X**_

Riza walked through the gray carpeted halls of the cabins, destination in mind. She turned a few corners, passed a few doors, and there she was, right in front of Roy's. She didn't bother to knock, her shoulders squared as the wood sailed open.

She smiled at the sight in front of her, the stoic features of her mouth tilting into a grin.

Roy was on the couch in the corner, and somehow during the night Edward had managed to sleepwalk to the couch as well. The younger was wrapped in Roy's arms, while the older was nuzzling his nose into Ed's hair. It was cute, it really was. And it was almost comical, Ed being so small and all.

Riza snickered and harrumphed shortly after. The reaction was instantaneous and chaotic. Ed shot up and fell back off the couch. "WHAT THE FUCK?"

Roy sat up groggily, his eyes lazy and unfocused. "Fullmetal?"

"WHAT THE FUCK, YOU PERVERT! WHY WAS I _SLEEPING _ON THE COUCH!?"

"Like I'd know," grumbled Roy, scratching at his neck again.

"YOU PROBABLY DRAGGED ME ONTO IT WITH YOU-"  
Riza made her presence known. "Now, be quiet. Mind you, we're in a public building. I'd appreciate it if you'd be civil to each other."

Roy smiled lopsidedly. "Why good morning, Riza."

She mumbled something like 'Colonel, _really_?' and strode through the threshold with a single step. "Get dressed you two, today we get down to business."

The two alchemists glanced at each other and nodded, sharing the same thought.

Today, the shit would hit the metaphorical fan, and chaos would most likely begin to rein.

**X**

Three military personnel were planning something, Joshua knew it. He knew that happy little 'family' was ready to destroy what he'd already laid down. He growled and clenched his fist.

NOTHING was going according to plan, and he was _devastated_.

It was either him or them.

The strange people commanding him were going to get their sacrifices one way or another, and Joshua would do whatever he could to protect the person he held dear. He twiddled his thumbs and collected his thoughts.

The day that all of their plans will fall into place was only a week away.

In that time, he could kill to his liking.

In the end, he needed to make sure _she _was safe.

**X**

Leonard watched the Mustangs from far away. He had the faintest nagging in the back of his skull that told him they were bad news, but he wouldn't listen to it. Edward was his friend, and he could already tell that he was in some pretty deep shit as it was. He put on his most convincing smile and waltzed up to their table.

"Hey!"  
Heads swiveled to look at him.

He got a heavy glare from Roy, a confused blink from Ed, and a raised eyebrow from the Lieutenant.

Edward pushed away his Xingese food and licked his lips. "Uh, hey, Leo. What're you doing over here? Where's Sayler?"

Leo quirked another grin. "She caught a cold," he sat down next to the Colonel, "and I think I can help you out in the meantime..."

Roy gaped at his openness and scowled. "What do you _think _you're doing? This is private _family _business!"

The oak-haired teen smirked evenly. "You can drop the act, I don't buy that load of crap at all. Sayler and I aren't convinced. She may not know what's going on, but I sure do." He added on, "Well, to some extent."

Riza stole a quick glance at the Colonel, and then to Ed, who nodded his head. "You can trust him."

Roy looked back at the child to his side. "Then what do you have for us, shrimp?"

"Who... are... you... calling-"

Leo was quickly cut off by Ed, who waved his fork in the air dismissively. "Just go on."

The camper craned his neck around to make sure no one was listening in. "Well... I know that this year may just be like the last."

"Wait, what?" The three around Leo were curious. They leaned closer to listen, Riza's hand instinctively going to her belt-line where no guns were present.

The shortest of them all cleared his throat and spun a tale from the year before out of memory.

**(AN: I don't do this often, but a flashback is necessary T_T Sorry... It's the POV of Leo, just so you know.)**

I looked around.

Darkness.

Darkness was all that I saw in that pensive black room.

It was silent, silence dragged on for hours, and I was unable to move, unable to help anyone.

I was worthless, dammit. So fucking worthless!

My eyes trailed around to room - I knew where I was!

After the first confusion wore off into a dull headache at my temples, I struggled at the restraints on my arms. They slid off with enough effort, and I was free from their monstrous hold.

"Ah fuck!" I stumbled over something.

No... _Someone_. I had tripped over a dead body!

My eyes widened as the flesh under my foot made a soft squelching sound. I blanched, backing up into a wall.

It was still black and dark, so I trailed around the box-like room until I found what I was searching for.

The brass knob to escape.

My hands turned it sickly, it squeaked, and sailed open against the hinges.

Light paraded into the darkness, revealing unnaturally red walls and dead bodies. Bile burned in my throat. It was _blood_. I turned on my heels and ran like hell, only to stop short.

Where was Sayler?

I turned my head, trees, trees, and more trees. Somehow, I had ended up in the _fucking forest_. The last thing I remembered was... I paled. Sayler was in trouble, she was in _trouble_. And I'd never, _ever _forgive myself if she died.

So I bolted into the gnarled roots and trunks. "Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT!"

I stopped at the cabins. I heard screaming. Correction... I heard female screaming. _Sayler's _screaming.

I stumbled to regain my footing after her shriek broke into the midday sky. Right after, I shoved through the open doors of the female cabins and pushed to the staircase.

There was screeching. Blood. So much blood. I turned over the second floor railing and dry heaved. The thick smell of copper - no, it was more like iron, like Sayler would tell me all the time. She used to tell me that blood consisted of iron, not copper, but it was similar, so people often mistook the two. But it was heavy in the air, laden and thick, choking me with the stiff smell.

I gulped and mustered up some courage, something I had very little of.

My eyebrows twitched and the adrenaline coursing through me made my head pulse. Sayler told me that it helped her calm down when she recited the periodic table. She _always _told me that. I breathed in and started reciting. Being with her, living with her, hanging out with her: all of her alchemy shit was burned into my brain.

**(AN: I actually know the table... Ahhh kay)**

"Okay... Hydrogen... Helium..." I stepped over a few broken doors. The air was too constricting, I dry heaved again. My hand went over my mouth to wipe off the meal I just threw up. "Lithium..."

I used my foot to kick open a door that had deep red smeared across it. "Beryllium... Boron? Carbon? Ah fuck."

The next door had body parts covering it. I used my boot-clad feet to kick away a stray foot and arm, then the door gave way and toppled over.

What I saw nearly made me pass out.

Sayler was there, some councilors were there, and then there was this _woman_. Her hair was like an olive-black color, her chest was gigantic, and her body was slender and curvy. Her nails were stretched out toward Sayler's eye, and her mouth was moving to form incoherent little sentences.  
My best friend's eyes tilted to meet mine.

"Ho-mun-cu-lus... Run... Leo... Before she sacrifices-"  
The nail was driven through the eye and she gave a yelp of surprise, a scream following right after.

I didn't leave, I was rooted to the spot, watching this stranger try to kill my friend.

She then held up a red stone. "Now, now, girl, calm down... This'll only hurt a bit."

I didn't wait to see what she'd do to Sayler, I charged, yelling at the top of my lungs, praying to a god that didn't exist. My side collided with the Homunculus' and she stumbled.

"What the-" her eyes met mine, and a wild look glinted in her eyes. "Gluttony..."

"Yes... er... Solaris?" Only then did I realize a fat man was standing behind the door. He shut it and came up to me. "May I eat him Lu-er-Solaris?"

"No, Gluttony. Just hold him still."

The fat one known as Gluttony looked disappointed that he couldn't _eat _me and his arm gripped mine.

Solaris turned back to Sayler, who was clutching her missing eye in a sea of blood and bodies. "Open the gate."

"I...don't know... how!"

"Open it or this boy over here gets to take a one-way trip to Gluttony's stomach." Solaris looked ecstatic at the look of horror in Sayler's eyes.

"I don't know how!" She insisted.

"Well..." Solaris turned to me, a calm smirk twitching on her lips, "Gluttony, you can eat him now."

"Thank you Solaris!" Gluttony pulled me to his mouth, and all the while I writhed and pulled against him.

"Wait!" Sayler panted, "I think I could do it! Just put him down!"

Just then, a searing pain engulfed my left arm. I looked down.

It was gone.

Sayler screamed, her fingers outstretched to mine, but she collapsed forward, unconscious. Solaris made an annoyed sound in her throat. "Maybe next time, then. The deadline is only a year away... And we can use this..." She held up the red stone in frustration to the fat one. "Let's get back to Father, Gluttony."

"Yes Lu-Solaris!"

Solaris locked eyes with me and smirked. "Bye, kid."

I passed out.

When I next woke up, no one seemed to remember the incident, and every doctor I visited insisted that I'd dreamt the whole thing up. Sayler thought she got the injury in her eye by tripping and falling on glass, and she thought I lost my arm saving her in a fire.

She lost her novice ability to use alchemy, and I lost a whole arm.

Solaris left looking like a cat who caught the canary, but I knew she hadn't just caught it. She caught it, chewed, and swallowed. And I knew it was just a matter of time before she came back.

The 'Homunculus' and her 'friend' that went by the name of Gluttony.

**_X_**

Ed let his fork clatter to the plate. "What?"

Leo ducked his head, "You heard what I said-"

"FUCK!"

Ed was up in a flash and running to the door.

Roy and Riza shared twin looks of confusion before following.

"Dammit Edward, what is it _now_?" Roy growled. Everything was going horribly wrong. And they hadn't even devised a _plan _yet!

**THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS STORY BEFORE I FORGET!  
One: Kind of forget some parts of Brotherhood, this is going on a slight AU path, I guess. Because Lust is alive, Gluttony is, and the first greed is dead, but Greedling is not alive, Ling is still in Xing, and he will not be a part of this story. Let me explain. The red stone **_**was the **_**philosopher stone, okay? It was Greed's, so if she had put it in, I don't know, Sayler, she would have become Greed. (or died) (I think that's how it works? Right? if not, just ignore this)**

**Two: Roy and the rest of the team only have a faint idea about the homunculi.**

**Three: This takes place after they meet the first Greed, pretend it was a year or so before the story here.**

**Four: This story will now derive into a real plot-like story with an ending.  
**

**Five: The rest of the crew will come in soon (Havoc, Fuery, Maes, all those funnnn people)**

**Six: Yes, Sayler was an alchemist, but she wasn't amazing, she could only make dolls and that fun stuff, but Lust I'm guessing wanted to see if she could open the gate, which of course, she couldn't, because she hasn't seen the Truth.**

**Seven: THE TRAUMA OF THIS EVENT HAS CAUSED SAYLER TO FORGET ALL ABOUT IT! Imagine watching your Bro-friend's arm being torn off in front of you, being surrounded by dead bodies, and having your eye jabbed out. Sound fun? I think not.**

**Uhhh and last but not least, review! Revies fuel my creative muse, and make me happy! **

**Sayonara~**

**Payton **


End file.
